Chapter 2
First on the agenda was some basic personal maintenance.
I just booked myself a head-to-toe pampering day at the fanciest place in the city: spa, facial, new hair, nails, the whole nine yards!
Next was my self-improvement era!
I signed up for all the classy hobbies to get that sophisticated vibe going, such as horseback riding, floral design, a wine tasting course, and Pilates.
Finally, I had to make my money make money!
I scheduled a meeting with a top financial advisor to discuss investment strategies for my two-million-dollar monthly stipend. It's not just about spending money. It's about making money work for you.
I was completely absorbed in optimizing my career trajectory when Blake's voice echoed from the doorway.
"Mrs. Goodman, a Ms. Linwood is here to see you."
Linwood?
My brain whirred for a second before the file popped up.
It was Claire Linwood. To Theo, she was his long-lost love, recently back from overseas. And she was the heroine of this story indeed.
It seemed I found my number one "person of interest" for this new job.
"Show her in."
Claire swept into the living room looking like she had just stepped off a runway. She wore a crisp white pantsuit, with her hair pulled back in an elegant chignon, radiating a cool grace.
Surprise flickered in her eyes when she found me on the floor, sitting cross-legged with a laptop perched in front of me.
"Ms. Reed," she began with a sweet smile, "I hope I'm not interrupting."
Her words were honey-laced, but I could feel the sting underneath.
"Theo is such a driven man. He's always admired women who are his equals, who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Are you sure this is enough to hold his interest?"
It was the classic performance review from a senior stakeholder trying to manage a new hire out.
Looking at her was like looking at one of my old interns with that same "I'm better than this" attitude and yet so obviously trying way too hard.
I nodded with utmost sincerity and turned my laptop to face her, pointing to the freshly minted title slide.
I said, "You're so right! I was just struggling with how to scale my value contribution.
"This is just a preliminary plan, but since you're a key stakeholder with a much deeper understanding of the client, I was hoping you could offer some feedback. Maybe help me brainstorm some long-term development strategies for this position?"
Her smile froze and cracked.
She had probably run through a thousand scenarios in her head, with me screaming, crying, or wilting under her condescending gaze.
The one thing she clearly hadn't prepared for was me treating her romantic power play like a free consulting session.
She stared, dumbfounded, at my screen. The title, "High-Society Wife: A Value Proposition Strategy," was in a bold font, practically glowing with corporate synergy.
The table of contents below it was a masterpiece of professional jargon: "Personal Brand & IP Monetization," "Integration & Optimization of Household Resources," and "Synergizing a Harmonious Client Relationship."
Her expression morphed from surprise to deep thought, finally settling on a look of profoundly unreadable complexity. She was silent for so long that I thought her programming had crashed.
"Who... helped you with this... plan?" she finally asked.
"Oh, I drafted it myself," I said humbly. "It's still very rough, of course. I'd be grateful for any insights you could provide, Ms. Linwood. Your expertise would be invaluable."
After all, we were going to be colleagues, in a sense. Maintaining a positive relationship with core stakeholders is crucial for successful project execution.
She took a sharp breath, visibly trying to process the sheer absurdity of the moment.
"Vivian," she finally ground out, "what in the world are you playing at?"
I looked at her with innocent confusion.
"Playing at? I'm just trying to excel at my job."