The Secret Heiress Read Online Free Page B

Elyse has mentioned interviewing elsewhere.”
    There was no way Anna could keep the company going if the only person who knew anything gave notice. “Can you get her on the phone for me?”
    Katie gave her a dazed look. “I’m not sure that it’s a good idea. Elyse needs time to manage the change.”
    Elyse was probably worried about someone new coming in and taking over. “I’m sure it will be fine. If she is interviewing elsewhere, I need to know.”
    Anna moved her laptop over to a table by the window. There were two important meetings that week and, before she moved forward, she had to come up with a strategy. The financials needed work and it seemed as if there wasn’t a clear process for how each event was being quoted. Accessing the billing software, she could tell that Frances was getting projects by bidding too low.
    Katie called out, “Elyse is on line two.”
    Anna spoke with Elyse and asked her to come by for coffee that afternoon. The conversation was stilted, but she was careful to stay encouraging and positive. She would promise Elyse anything if she was willing to stay on a minimum of three months.
    Next, she called Frances and spoke at length about the business. Frances let her know that she had an emergency doctor’s appointment but hopefully would be in the next day. They discussed the possibility of finding an investor to bring cash into the business.
    Anna called each client and insisted on a budget review meeting. By the end of the day, she was discouraged by the lack of structure in the small company and the books told a much different story than Frances had let on. Unless something drastically changed, they would be out of business within a month or two. This was not what she had in mind in terms of a new start. If she wasn’t careful, she would be overseeing the demise of a company.
     
    Anna met with Frances and Katie the next morning. They had to finalize the details for a fundraising event at a community library. She could tell that the creativity part of the business was thriving. They both had amazing ideas and concepts for putting together a memorable event.
    Frances had short dark hair and a beautiful look about her. She wore fitted clothing over her belly and Anna worried that the baby was coming any day.
    “The midwife warned me that I could go early.”
    Anna crossed her arms. “Without you or Elyse here, I don’t know how I’ll be able to do anything.”
    Frances swept her hand over the messy space. “We have notes on everything.”
    “I’ve never seen a more disorganized office space,” Anna said, glancing around the office. “Client files are not put away, so I have to search through stack after stack.”
    Frances sat down slowly, supporting her huge belly. “A start-up is much different than a Financial Services firm. I’ve been tired and, honestly, everything has become too much.”
    She looked at Frances. “You may need to consider closing down for now and in the future you can try again.” Anna hated making the suggestion, but the business was not sound.
    Frances steadily stroked her belly. “As I mentioned yesterday, we have been invited to a pitch session for an investment group that could potentially offer funding for the company. We need some stability. If you could get together a presentation, then Gala & More Event Planning could be properly funded. That would solve many of the issues.”
    “You will have to relinquish control while you are on maternity leave,” Anna said. “I can’t become responsible for everything and not have decision-making powers.”
    Frances stood up slowly. “Anna, if you are successful in getting the funding and running the company in my absence for six months, then I’ll give you a fifty percent stake.”
    Anna hesitated. Why would Frances give up fifty percent of the ownership? She must have thought that Anna was her only option.
    Anna held out her hand and Frances shook it. “I’m a little worried.” But the