“You said that in this business, we have to be twice as good to get half as far. But then you smiled and said, ‘That’s exactly why we’d win, because we’re always ten times better than they expect.’”
A warm smile spread across Alicia’s face.
“And look at you now, running our entire digital strategy, keeping us three steps ahead of everyone else.”
“I learned from the best,” Sasha replied, her earlier nervousness replaced with determination. “So what’s our game plan for today?”
Alicia stood, walking to her briefcase to double-check the contracts.
“We arrive exactly on time, not early, not late. We stay professional, no matter what they throw at us.”
“And we close this deal with the same dignity and excellence we bring to everything else.”
Sasha began clearing the breakfast dishes, her movements precise and efficient.
“The helicopter’s ready whenever you are. Weather report shows clear skies all the way to the Hamptons.”
They moved through their preparation routine with practiced ease. Alicia chose a perfectly tailored white suit that projected both power and poise, while Sasha gathered their materials into sleek leather portfolios.
As they rode the private elevator down to the helipad, Alicia noticed Sasha taking slow, deliberate breaths, a technique she had taught her for managing pre-meeting jitters.
“Remember,” Alicia said softly, “we’ve earned our place at this table.”
“Every document is perfect, every number adds up, and every term has been vetted by the best lawyers in New York. We are not asking for permission to be there.”
The helicopter waited on the rooftop, its blades already spinning in the morning air. As they approached, Alicia caught their reflection in the polished surface.
Two Black women in impeccable business attire carrying billion-dollar dreams in their briefcases.
The flight to the Hamptons gave them time to review their strategy one final time. Sasha pulled up the dossiers she had compiled on each of the jet consortium’s owners.
Old money, exclusive clubs, and a history of dealing only with people who looked exactly like them.
As they approached the private airfield, the disparity in welcome became immediately apparent. Other arriving executives were being greeted with red carpets and champagne service.
But as their helicopter touched down on their designated spot, Alicia and Sasha saw only a junior staff member holding a clipboard, looking distinctly uninterested in their arrival.
“Well,” Sasha muttered under her breath as they gathered their things, “I guess they’re not rolling out the red carpet for us.”
Alicia adjusted her suit jacket with practiced precision.
“That’s all right,” she said, her voice carrying the same quiet confidence that had taken her from poverty to billions. “We’ll build our own.”
They stepped onto the tarmac, the morning sun now high and bright above them. Around them, private jets worth hundreds of millions gleamed in neat rows.
Their owners gathered in small groups, stealing glances at the newcomers who dared to enter their exclusive world.
Alicia and Sasha made their way across the vast tarmac, their heels clicking against the smooth surface in perfect sync. The morning sun cast long shadows behind them, but neither woman squinted or showed any sign of discomfort.
They had learned long ago that every movement, every expression would be scrutinized.
Around them, clusters of billionaires huddled near their gleaming jets, their conversations dropping to whispers as the two women passed. Alicia caught fragments of their comments, each one intended to be just loud enough to hear.
“Well, this is certainly different,” one man in an expensive suit remarked to his companion, adjusting his gold cufflinks with exaggerated motion.
“Times are changing,” another responded with a smirk. “Though some changes are more surprising than others.”
Sasha’s shoulders tensed slightly, but Alicia maintained her measured pace. She had weathered far worse than whispered insults on her path to success.
Each step was deliberate, her posture regal, as if she owned every inch of ground beneath her feet.
“Stay focused,” Alicia murmured to Sasha, noting how her assistant’s hand had tightened around her portfolio. “Their words can’t touch us unless we let them.”
They passed a row of pristine private jets, each one more luxurious than the last. The morning light caught their polished surfaces, reflecting the wealth and privilege of their owners.