Ruby knocked twice before opening the office door. It was in the afternoon, almost the closing hour.Benjamin looked up from the documents in front of him."The representatives from Puntuale Logistics are here," she said. "The vice president, legal head, and CFO are already waiting with them in the conference room."Benjamin closed the folder."Okay."Ruby stepped aside.He walked out without taking anything from the desk.The boardroom sat at the far end of the executive floor. Through the glass walls, Benjamin could already see four people sitting around the long table.When he entered, everyone stood.A man in a dark suit stepped forward first."Mr. Benjamin. I'm Santoro Costa, representing Puntuale Logistics. This is my partner, Giulia Rossi."Benjamin shook his hand."Mr. Costa."He turned toward the woman beside him."Ms. Rossi.""Mr. Benjamin," Giulia replied.They exchanged brief greetings before everyone sat.Benjamin took the seat at the head of the table.Ruby remained near

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead.He hated confrontation.But tonight, he had not felt guilty for being firm.He needed to be. His eyes moved toward the front door.For a moment, he wondered whether she was still outside.He immediately dismissed the thought.He saw her drove away.That was enough.Benjamin picked up his phone from the counter and looked at it.There were several notifications.He opened his messages.He scrolled through the voice notes she had sent him over the past few weeks.He had listened to some of them.He had ignored the rest.Tonight, they suddenly felt different.Benjamin locked the phone.He did not want to hear her voice again.He stood up and walked to the sink, carrying his unfinished plate.He hesitated before throwing the food away.Then he did.The casserole landed in the bin.He rinsed the plate and placed it inside the dishwasher. He returned to the table and finished his wine slowly.Benjamin looked around the kitchen.He had wan

Benjamin arrived at Fiumicino Airport on Wednesday afternoon, about an hour and a half before his flight to Paris.His flight was scheduled for 4:00 p.m., and he had deliberately given himself plenty of time. He did not want to rush through the airport or arrive in Paris exhausted. The meeting with Alessandro Bellini was important, and he wanted to be rested and mentally prepared when he finally sat across from the man who owned Puntuale Logistics.Bellini was expecting him at a private sports club in Paris the following evening at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was supposed to be short. But still he had to be hundred percent relaxed. It wasn't much time to persuade a businessman who had spent decades building his company that selling a controlling interest to Valmont Group was the right decision.Benjamin knew better than to underestimate the man.He had spent part of the morning reviewing the information Lorenzo and the Valmont team had gathered about Puntuale Logistics. He had gone through

The taxi dropped Ella first before eventually pulling up in front of Le Bristol Paris. Benjamin looked up at the building.It was an elegant five-star hotel in a quiet part of Paris, its stone façade illuminated by warm lights. Tall windows stretched across the upper floors, while large glass doors formed the entrance. A doorman in a dark uniform stood near the entrance, greeting guests as they arrived.The taxi stopped.Before Benjamin could open the door, the doorman approached."Good evening, sir.""Good evening."The driver stepped out and opened the trunk.Benjamin got out and watched as the driver removed his luggage."Thank you.""You're welcome, monsieur."Benjamin paid the fare, collected his phone, and walked toward the entrance.A bellboy immediately approached."Good evening, sir. May I assist you with your luggage?""Yes, thank you."The young man took Benjamin's carry-on."Checking in?""Yes.""Of course."They entered the hotel.The lobby was spacious without being ove

By 6:25 p.m., Benjamin's meeting with Alessandro Bellini had come to an end.The time had passed faster than Benjamin expected. When he stepped out of the room, he found himself smiling without even trying to hide it.The meeting had gone extremely well. Bellini even allowed him to talk to him for an extra five minutes. Bellini had listened carefully as Benjamin explained why Valmont Group was interested in Puntuale Logistics. He had asked questions about Benjamin's plans for the company, and Benjamin had answered them without making promises he could not keep. They had discussed Puntuale's existing management, its distribution network, its employees, and the possibility of expanding its operations without damaging what had already been built.At one point, Bellini had leaned back in his chair and studied him for several seconds."You know, Mr. Volkov, you're the youngest person who has shown serious interest in buying Puntuale."Benjamin had smiled."I suppose that makes me unusual.