War.

That’s what this is.

Mr. Charming might think he’s the best thing since sliced bread, but he’s in for a rude awakening. When it comes to business, I don’t have any rules, and I sure as hell don’t take prisoners.

And that’s why I have this folder sitting on my desk, Austin’s name stamped right on the cover. I’ve read it cover to cover, and I gotta say—he’s actually an impressive man. And no, I’m not talking about the dozens of pictures my associates decided to include in the folder. Although he’s as handsome as anyone should be allowed to be, what really amazes me about him is his experience. He seems to know the way our little industry operates better than the rest of the assholes competing with us.

He was right. Between me and him, the other companies won’t stand a chance. This is Oakmont v Domina all the way.

Austin v Tess.

Match of the century, no doubt about it.

And we’re different in so many ways, that I just can’t predict a clear winner. We operate differently, and we see the market differently. The only thing we really have in common is our desire to win.

Unlike Domina, which essentially is a company I bootstrapped together, Oakmont has been a family company for generations. That means, of course, that Austin landed in his position. But I need to be fair here: the only reason Oakmont is still a thing is because Austin is at the helm. He took the reins of a company that was almost insolvent and he turned it around. In just a few years, Oakmont has become a behemoth.

Oakmont is like Starbucks. He’s everywhere. He panders to every segment of society with his in your face ‘I’m a man and this is my cave’ look.

And people buy it up.

I’m not jealous. He’s got his niche. I’ve got mine.

I already knew that much, of course, but now that I have all the juicy details of the deals Austin made throughout the years...well, let’s just say that it’s a bit hard for me not to respect him.

After all, power recognizes power.

Not that it means anything. I’m still going to crush him, after all.

Three days from now, all the projects bidders will gather at Clarendon Tower once more, and we’ll have to face our first challenge: the Clarendon Tower Sun Room. A massive area that acts as a sort of common living room to the residents, the space is almost completely enclosed with glass, the unobstructed New York City view it offers almost surreal.

Our job is to present the board with our plans for the room furniture. I already have some ideas I’m working on, but there’s one question I need to answer before I commit to anything: What is Austin planning?

But don’t worry. I’m not the kind of woman that can live with unanswered questions.

Samantha, my assistant, knocks at the door.

“Come in!” I call out to her. ”Is it ready?”

“Yes, it is.” Strutting inside the room, she grins at me as she hands me a folded piece of paper. “All access information is in there.”

“Was there any trouble?”

“None at all,” she says. “It went as smooth as we expected. Their offices were empty at dawn. It took less than ten minutes for them to get in and out.”

“Great. Tell them to invoice us.” I wave her away as I unfold the piece of paper, hungrily staring at the numbers and letters scribbled there. “Very well, Austin, let’s see what you’re up to,” I whisper to myself as I fire up my laptop. I access the software I bought for the occasion and type the string of numbers I’ve been given on the access panel. A bright screen pops up a second later and I almost squeal with joy.

On my laptop screen I can see Austin sitting in his office. His desk is covered with sketches and documents—his laptop smack in the middle of all that mess—and he seems busy jotting something down.

Yeah, I’m spying on Austin.

Not exactly something an Ethics Board would reward, but what the hell—Austin isn’t exactly an upstanding guy, and I’m not taking any chances with him. If I have to play dirty in order to win, guess what? I’m going to play as dirty as I can.

I have three cameras set up inside his office, pretty much allowing me to see everything he does, and the team I hired even managed to mess with his laptop. One press of a button and I can see everything on his screen.

Leaning in, I focus on my laptop screen and try to figure out Austin’s plans. I can see some of the sketches he has for the fixtures, all of them ornate and expensive looking, and to the side I see some drawings his interns probably came up with for the main couches.

Austin isn’t working on any of those things, though. He’s bent over his desk, staring intently at a large piece of paper, but I can’t quite figure out what it is. With the press of a button, I change the camera angle.

“Wow,” I whisper.

A chaise lounge.

So that’s what he’s planning on using as the central piece.

Borrowing from the aristocratic style of 19th century France, the upholstered sofa he’s working on seems like the perfect blend of traditional class and modern lines. Seems like he has an eye for design.

“Come on,” I whisper, trying to zoom in on his plans. Austin is busy adding some final touches to the design, but I’m no longer interested in that. Judging from what I can see, his chaise lounge is going to be perfect looking. But looks aren’t everything, are they? Sometimes, it’s what’s underneath that counts.

See? Men and furniture—not that different.

On the corner of the sheet he’s working, I finally manage to see a few notations. I have to squint my eyes to decode the letters, but I finally manage to read them. He’s planning to use a kind of leather colored with dye, instead of a surface coating of polymer and pigment. His idea isn’t a bad one. The leather he’s going with is usually the best looking one you can use, but it has one slight problem: it’s not that durable.

To add to his durability, he’s planning to use a kind of chemical coating that will add some resistance against tears and stains. I don’t recognize the name of the compound he’s planning on using, but it definitely rings some bells. Didn’t I work with something like that a couple years ago?

Pushing my chair back, I head toward the cabinet I have on the back of my office and start rummaging through my folders. Takes me a while, but when I finally find the one I’m looking for, I remember it immediately.

A few years ago I had a leather German supply that promised a good looking, cheap, and durable product. And yes, they used the same kind of chemical coating Austin is planning on using. For a few months everything seemed to go well...but then the complaints started rolling in fast.

Against direct sunlight, the chemical offered little to no protection. In fact, it sped up the leather’s decay. Eventually, I had to recall all the sofas I built with that leather, since every single one of them (at least the ones under direct sunlight) were starting to look like antiques from two centuries ago.

“Gotcha,” I smile to myself, already imagining Austin crashing and burning spectacularly at the first competition. Since Oakmont always had more buying power than my company, Austin probably doesn’t have direct experience with this kind of leather coating. He’s used to buying the best raw material money can buy, and never really had to look for a good deal. Now that he’s trying to innovate, this slip up he has is gonna cost him dearly.

Because I’m definitely going to capitalize on his mistake.

You just watch.