When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 69: Email

Chapter 69: Email

Zinnia stared at the email on her screen, her heart pounding. Victoria’s words echoed in her mind: "I’ll take care of drafting a new contract. I’ll be coming over to your company this afternoon to discuss it."

Her stomach twisted, and a thousand thoughts raced through her head. Had she done something wrong? Was the draft she sent not up to Victoria’s standards? Maybe she had made a mistake, missed a crucial detail, or misworded an important section.

The most likely possibility, the one that scared her the most, was that Victoria didn’t like the draft at all. Maybe she was coming to say they didn’t want to move forward with the collaboration anymore.

Zinnia’s hands shook slightly as she tried to imagine what that conversation would be like. Would Victoria be polite? Direct? Would she tell Zinnia that her effort wasn’t enough, that Lopez Digital Studios wasn’t what they were looking for?

Zinnia took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind. But her chest felt tight, and the anxiety only seemed to grow. She had worked hard on the draft, carefully going over every detail, but now she wasn’t sure if any of it mattered. What if this was all for nothing?

She needed to talk to her father. Maybe he could help her understand what this email meant. She grabbed her laptop and headed to the office next to hers. Ricardo’s door was slightly open, and she could see him sitting at his desk, reviewing some documents.

Zinnia knocked lightly and pushed the door open. "Dad?" she called, her voice softer than she intended. Ricardo looked up, a gentle smile on his face. But as soon as he saw her expression, his smile faded.

"What’s wrong, Zinnia?" he asked, setting his papers aside.

Zinnia walked over to his desk, placing her laptop in front of him. "I got a reply from Victoria. She said she’s coming over this afternoon to discuss the contract. She wants to draft a new one."

Ricardo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he read the email. His brow furrowed, and Zinnia could see him processing the words carefully. For a moment, he said nothing, just reading the message over again.

"Hmm," he murmured, leaning back in his chair. "This could mean a few things."

Zinnia waited, her heart pounding. She needed to hear what he thought, even if it was bad news. Ricardo glanced at her, his eyes thoughtful.

"She could want to make some adjustments to the terms," he began. "Sometimes clients have different priorities, and they might want to change a few details. It doesn’t necessarily mean she doesn’t like the draft."

Zinnia nodded, but she wasn’t convinced. She bit her lip, the fear still gnawing at her. "But... what if she wants to cancel the collaboration? What if she’s not happy with how I handled it?"

Ricardo sighed, his gaze softening. "It’s possible, but I don’t think she would come all the way here just to say no. If she wasn’t interested anymore, she could have just replied to your email and said so. The fact that she’s coming suggests she wants to work things out."

Zinnia tried to hold on to that thought, but doubt still clouded her mind. "Maybe she’s just being polite," she said quietly.

Ricardo shook his head. "Victoria is a businesswoman. She doesn’t have time for niceties if she’s not interested. She’s coming because there’s something she wants to discuss, and that could be a good sign."

He paused, letting the words sink in. "But whatever it is, we’ll deal with it. And if it doesn’t work out, that’s okay too. Not every deal goes through, and that doesn’t mean you failed."

Zinnia felt a slight sense of relief, but she was still anxious. "I just don’t want to let you down," she admitted. "Or make a mistake that hurts the company."

Ricardo stood up and walked around the desk, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You’re not letting anyone down, Zinnia. You’re doing your best, and that’s what matters. Even if this deal doesn’t happen, you’ll learn from it. Every experience, good or bad, makes you better."

Zinnia nodded, feeling a bit more grounded. "Thanks, Dad. I just... I hope it’s not as bad as I’m imagining."

Ricardo smiled. "It usually isn’t. We’ll wait for Victoria and see what she has to say. Until then, try not to stress yourself out too much."

A few hours later, Zinnia’s phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Victoria: "On my way to Lopez Digital Studios. See you soon."

Zinnia quickly typed out a reply. "Great. I’ll have Marcos lead you up to my office when you arrive."

She sent the message and took a deep breath. She had to stay calm, even if her nerves were getting the best of her. She called Marcos, instructing him to meet Victoria at the entrance and guide her up.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly as she waited. Every tick of the clock felt louder than the last, each minute dragging on. Zinnia kept glancing at her email, hoping to see something that would give her a clue about what to expect, but there was nothing. Just the quiet hum of her computer.

Then there was a knock on her door, and Marcos entered, followed by Victoria. Zinnia stood up quickly, trying to mask her anxiety with a polite smile. "Victoria, it’s good to see you," she said, her voice steady.

"Thank you," Victoria replied, returning the smile. "Good to see you too, Zinnia. And Mr. Lopez, it’s a pleasure."

Ricardo greeted her warmly, and they all exchanged a few pleasantries before taking their seats. Zinnia tried to read Victoria’s expression, but she was as poised and calm as ever, giving nothing away.

"I came to talk about the collaboration between Lily Oceanic Industries and Lopez Digital Studios," Victoria began, setting a folder on the table in front of her.

Zinnia felt her chest tighten. This was it. She glanced at her father, who gave her an encouraging nod.

Victoria continued, "I reviewed the draft you sent, and while I appreciate the effort, I think there are a few changes we need to make."

Zinnia’s heart sank, but she forced herself to nod. "I understand. What kind of changes?"