Chapter 87

As we slid into the back of the limo, I turned to Monique, puzzled. “What was that about?”

She smirked. “That, mon amour, was me making sure Sophie Laurent understands exactly where you stand.”

I frowned. “Sophie?”

Monique sighed, shaking her head. “You really don’t notice when women are interested in you, do you?”

I blinked. “She was interested in me?”

Monique laughed. “John, she spent half our conversation subtly asking if you were available. Her eyes were on you the entire time.”

I scoffed. “I think you’re imagining things.”

Monique gave me a pointed look. “You are hopeless.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Even if that’s true, I wouldn’t have noticed because I already have the most incredible woman by my side.”

Her expression softened, and she took my hand, intertwining our fingers. “Good answer.”

I squeezed her hand gently. “Come on. Let’s head back to the hotel and celebrate the deal properly.”

She grinned. “Now that sounds like a plan.”

As the limo glided through the streets of Geneva, I couldn’t help but smile. The deal was done, Monique had marked her territory, and we had a beautiful evening ahead of us. Life was very good.

The ride back to the hotel was filled with Monique’s excitement as she recounted every detail of the meeting.

“I loved watching how you handled everything,” she gushed. “You were confident, relaxed, and you knew exactly what to say. I was so nervous at first, but I think I managed well.”

I smiled, squeezing her hand. “You did more than manage. You impressed them. Sophie Laurent certainly took notice of you.”

Monique smirked. “Sophie Laurent can keep her noticing to herself. I made sure she got the message loud and clear.”

Chuckling, I leaned back in the seat. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Business isn’t always that smooth, but this was a perfect introduction to how things should work when everything is aligned.”

As we arrived at the hotel, the same attentive staff greeted us at the entrance. One of the concierges stepped forward with a warm smile.

“Welcome back, Monsieur Moreau, Mademoiselle Fournier. I trust your meeting went well?”

I nodded. “Very well, thank you. We’re looking for something entertaining to do tonight. A concert, a play, or something interesting. Do you have any recommendations?”

The concierge’s face lit up. “Of course. Geneva always has something special. I will check what’s available and call your suite within the hour with some options.”

“Perfect,” I said.

As we stepped into the elevator, Monique hesitated before speaking. “John ... can I ask something?”

I turned toward her. “Of course.”

Her fingers played with the strap of her purse as she glanced at me. “How much was the contract for?”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised she hadn’t asked earlier. “The overall budget for Swiss Tech’s project is just over 100 million euros.”

Her lips parted slightly. “And your company?”

I smiled. “We’ll receive roughly 10% of that.”

Monique stared at me, eyes wide, clearly trying to process the number. “I ... I never really thought about how much these projects are worth.”

I chuckled. “Most people don’t. Architecture school focuses on design, materials, structural integrity—but they don’t really teach you about the business side of things.”

She nodded slowly, still looking thoughtful as we reached our suite. Once inside, she sank onto the couch, still digesting the information. “I feel like my education is missing something. Shouldn’t I know more about this side of things?”

I sat beside her, stretching out my legs. “If you want to. It’s not essential for an architect to know how every contract is negotiated, or how budgets are structured. That’s why we have finance teams and business development managers.”

She frowned slightly. “Then why should I learn it?”