Friends Like These by Felicia Kingsley

Author:Felicia Kingsley [Kingsley, Felicia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838932930
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Chapter 26

“Careful planning is no substitute for dumb luck.”

Arthur Bloch, Dunn’s Law

Nothing happened. In the days following the party, nobody showed any interest in Brenner House.

I failed. I hoped so much I could make it. After the breathtaking last-minute party, I started to believe I had a chance.

But I didn’t. The guests eventually showed up, they toasted the New Year, cleared the buffet, and left at half past midnight for another party.

All my colleagues have come back from their holidays, and I’m at my desk, collecting my stuff. I wasn’t officially informed that I’m out yet, but I’m expecting to be called in Januar’s office any minute now.

‘Allegra Hill, you’re fired. Please, leave’. These are the words that have been echoing in my head since New Year’s Eve.

To make matters worse, Sparkle arrives and hugs me. “I heard about Brenner House. I’m sorry that your idea didn’t work, incredibly sorry!”

If she doesn’t leave me alone immediately, I swear I’ll strangle her. I will, for fuck’s sake!

Luckily enough, my office phone rings and stops my killer instinct.

It’s Januar, he wants to see me in his office.

As if I were condemned to death, I walk along the corridor, with my security token and my badge in my pocket, ready to return them.

I hesitate in front of his door, and the secretary beckons me to enter. I DON’T WANT TO!

“Good morning, Januar” I greet him timidly, still on the office door.

He is at his desk, rubbing his temples while resting his elbows on the desktop. Not a good sign. I get ready for the lecture he’s going to give me.

I’m still lingering near the door, so he beckons me to come forward.

Even before I can sit down, he gives me a small box and doesn’t utter a word. I look at him questioningly, without understanding.

“Open it” he orders me dryly.

I remove the cardboard cover and find a bundle of business cards. I take one and read it, confused.

Royals & Lloyds

International Real Estate Consultants

Allegra Hill – Venue Stager

“Venue Stager? Januar, what...?” I ask, without understanding or knowing how to finish the sentence.

He sighs, falling against the backrest of his chair. “On 1 January, I was woken up by Alexey Kuzimovič, the Russian gas tycoon, for whom buying Brenner House had suddenly become a matter of life or death.”

My jaw drops open.

“I’m sure you understand that it was quite an inconvenience for me, considering that I was in the Swiss Alps. In order to officialise the purchase, Kuzimovič sent his private jet to pick me up and bring me back to London within minutes” he says, looking at me disapprovingly. “My wife wasn’t happy at all.”

“You mean... that Brenner House was sold?” I say with a shaky voice as my hands start trembling.

“It seems that Kuzimovič’s son was at your party, and he was so impressed by the house that he wanted it” he goes on, staring at me with a serious expression. “He wants it the way he saw it. Ornaments included, even the chocolate fountain.

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