Work Text:
Alex isn’t really listening what Paul keeps saying because she’s amazed that some billionaire found time to read a book about her when she hears the word deal.
,,Wait, what deal ?’’
Paul stops, looking intently at her.
,,They didn’t tell you ?’’
,,Tell me what ?’’ – Alex asks exasperately
,,Cory plans to sell UBA to me. Or, to say more politely, to make a merge’’
She can’t believe this. Here she was, just yesterday, in Cory’s office making demands for him to allow her to be a partner, to include her more in important stuff etc and now she finds out that he’s planning to sell the network to this fucking guy ?
,,Alex, is everything okay ? You look angry’’
She chuckles, shaking her head.
,,Oh, i am angry, believe me’’
,,I thought you knew. After all, i had the impression that you are among the people who’s in charge there’’
,,Well, you were wrong. Clearly they didn’t tell me about this which, in fact, i’m not really surprised about’’
She glances at Paul laughing but he looks at her with a genuine look in his eyes. She inhales sharply, looking away.
,,Why’d they hide something important like this from you ? The person who worked there so long ?’’
,,Look, Paul, i don’t know you and i don’t want to tell anything more that i maybe isn’t supposed to tell you. So, could you now give me a ride back ? I liked the tour and everything but i need to go back’’
He just nods, not saying anything else and guides her back to the vehicle.
...
After Paul drops her at the site from where they started the tour he says:
,,Alex, once again, it was nice meeting you. I hope we’ll have fun later while being in the rocket’’
She smiles, repeating that it was nice to meet him too and goes away from him where Chip meets her on the way.
,,So, how’d the tour go ? Did you like this guy ?’’
But she shakes her head, saying:
,,Not now Chip. I need to be alone for now. Can you give me a ride to the hotel ?’’
Chip frowns but, like always, not questions anything and opens the door for her. She steps inside, finally inhaling deeply and bracing herself for the rest of her day.
...
Alex walks inside her hotel room, sighing heavily and throwing her things on the bed. She lies down, looking at the ceiling and thinking over what she fiound out.
She wants to call Cory and yell at him. More accurately would be to scream. Why does he treats her the way he does ? She simply asked him what she wanted, which she’s sure she deserves to have at this point. And at the same time, the network is on the way to be handed over to some billionaire and Cory doesn’t even tell her about this ? Who the fuck this motherfucker thinks he is ?
She’s been working at this network for so long that at this point she should have a say in such things. Instead she’s still co-anchor of the morning news and host of the program that became popular after her monologue when she had Covid at streaming service UBA+. Sure, it may be enough but she wants more. She wants to be in charge like Paul thought she was.
Paul. This mysterious billionaire. Who soon maybe be in charge of this whole thing.
Alex may deny it but she won’t because she found him attractive. She can’t help but wonder what it would be like to work with him. Maybe he is shady in some way but during today’s conversation he was interested in her. She wasn’t stupid and noticed how he looked at her. But she doesn’t know him so she can’t be sure there will happen something and if it’ll be good.
Alex sat up, taking her phone and scrolling through her contacts, her thumb hovering over Cory’s number. But then she thought, no. She needs to talk directly with him about what’s going on. Because she can leave or quit like she once did and he then, after some time, begged her to come back.
So she puts her phone and stands up, setting her mind. She will figure this shit out and they're all gonna respect her more.