Chapter 526

Chapter 526:

“Don’t worry. It’ll all be fine.” Peter Carl leaned across the desk and patted my hand. “You look like you’re about to explode. I ought to tell the boss off for piling so much stress on you. If I can find him. Where is Fab, anyway p>

There was a knock at the open door.

Inspector Silva stepped in.

I handed him the envelope silently.

“Who’s this?” Peter Carl asked.

I looked at him. I didn’t want to be the one to say it, but no one else could.

“Peter, can you gather everyone? I need to make an announcement p>

“What’s going on?” His expression darkened. He could probably feel what was coming. “Alright. Give me a minute p>

Ten minutes later, I stood in front of a familiar group of faces, braced myself, and told them everything.

Gasps, frowns, shaking heads, and stunned silence followed. None of them wanted to believe it, but Silva’s presence backed me up.

He gave them the rest. “The company is insolvent and will be liquidated. The public prosecutor will petition the court for a compulsory winding-up order p>

That was when the crying began.

Peter Carl found me later in the afternoon, eyes red.

“Mirabelle, you’re the only one who can save us now p>

“If the company gets liquidated, we lose everything: the CAD models, portfolios, inventory. I could easily find a job elsewhere with my CV, but I like the company, the work, and I want to stay p>

Peter Carl’s voice lacked its usual breeziness.

“But what can I do p>

I still didn’t understand why he thought I could save the company. I was in hot water myself. With Fabrizio gone, my joint venture with him was finished, and the product launch I had spent the last two months working on would die with it.

𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 — 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘁

I had already given up hope of getting my money back. The only thing left seemed to be leaving.

“You have a studio, don’t you? You’ve got management experience,” Peter Carl said.

I forced a wry smile. “As Fabrizio has so clearly demonstrated, running a small independent studio and running a big company are two very different things p>

“I know, but I have faith in you p>

“I don’t have faith in myself p>

“Come on, just think about it. If you buy Valmont & Cie now, you’ll get it cheap. The investors will be glad to sell for cents on the dollar just to recoup something. And I don’t know about the others, but I’m willing to take a pay cut. You could still go ahead with your product launch. Valmont has everything: the infrastructure, manufacturing, marketing networks, distribution channels. All that could be yours. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to break into the ultra-competitive Paris fashion market p>

I had to admit, he made some valid points.

Ten minutes ago, I was so discouraged I just wanted to pack up, go home, and find somewhere to sulk and lick my wounds in peace.

But now… maybe his idea could work.