Chapter 5: The Blackwood Proposal
1411 Words
Six months of peace.
Six months of waking up next to Adrian.
Six months of board meetings where no one dared to look at me weird.
Six months of being Chief of Staff instead of "the assistant he’s dating."
And then everything changed.
It started with a headline.
*BLACKWOOD CORP TO ACQUIRE HARTLEY TECH - $2.4 BILLION DEAL*
I saw it on my phone at 6 AM while Adrian was still asleep.
My stomach dropped.
Hartley Tech.
The company I used to work for.
The company where I made the mistake that cost Adrian 40 million dollars three years ago.
“Morning,” Adrian mumbled, pulling me back into bed. “What’s wrong?”
“Hartley,” I said, showing him my phone.
He went still. “I was going to tell you at breakfast.”
“When?”
“Today.” He kissed my forehead. “It’s business, Ava. Nothing to do with you.”
But it had everything to do with me.
By 9 AM the entire 43rd floor knew.
Whispers. Emails. News alerts.
“Chief of Staff,” Margaret from accounting said in the elevator. “Must be nice to have insider info.”
I didn’t answer.
Adrian’s office. Doors closed.
“Sit,” he said.
I sat.
“I’m acquiring Hartley,” he said. “It’s been in the works for 4 months. The board approved it yesterday.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d react like this.” He came around the desk. “Ava, this isn’t about revenge. Hartley is failing. Their CEO is embezzling. I can save 2000 jobs.”
“By firing the person who’s in charge now.”
“Yes.”
I stood. “I need air.”
“Ava”
“I need air, Adrian.”
I walked out.
I ended up on the roof.
Blackwood Tower. 80 floors up. Wind in my hair.
My phone rang. Mom.
“Honey? Is it true? Adrian’s company is buying Hartley?”
“Yeah.”
“The same Hartley where”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.”
She was quiet. “You love him, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then talk to him.”
I hung up.
When I got back to the office, Adrian was gone.
Gone to Hartley.
For the announcement.
I stared at his empty desk and felt sick.
My phone buzzed. A text from him.
`Meeting went well. Come to Hartley. 4 PM. I want you with me.`
I didn’t go.
7 PM. He was waiting in my apartment.
No suit. Just jeans and a t-shirt.
“You didn’t come,” he said.
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it feels like you bought the place where I ruined my career. To rub it in my face.”
His face hardened. “That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Ava, I bought Hartley to save it. Not to hurt you.” He stepped closer. “And I wanted you there because I’m proud of you. Because you’ve worked harder than anyone to get where you are.”
Tears. “You don’t get it.”
“Then help me understand.”
So I told him. About the panic attacks. About how I couldn’t get a job for 2 years after. About how I thought I’d never work in tech again.
He listened. Didn’t interrupt.
When I finished, he pulled me into his arms.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I should’ve told you sooner. I should’ve asked.”
The next week was hell.
Due diligence. Lawyers. Press.
And me. Stuck in the middle.
Adrian tried to keep me out of it. “You don’t have to go to Hartley.”
But I did.
Because I was Chief of Staff.
Because I wasn’t a coward.
Thursday. Hartley Tech.
The building looked smaller than I remembered.
Adrian walked in first. Suit. Confidence. CEO energy.
I followed. In a pantsuit. Chin up.
The employees were lined up in the lobby. Scared.
Adrian stopped and looked at them. “My name is Adrian Blackwood. I’m here to tell you that your jobs are safe.”
Relief. Actual relief in the room.
Then he turned to me. “And this is Ava Bennett. My Chief of Staff. She’ll be overseeing the transition.”
2000 pairs of eyes on me.
Including my old boss. The one who fired me.
He looked like he’d seen a ghost.
The transition took 3 weeks.
I was at Hartley every day.
Reviewing files. Meeting teams. Firing the CEO who’d embezzled.
It was hard. But it was healing.
Adrian was there every night. Waiting in the car. Dinner. Home.
One night, after a 14-hour day, I broke down in his kitchen.
“I hate this,” I cried. “I hate seeing them. I hate remembering.”
Adrian pulled me onto his lap. “I know, baby. I know.”
“Why did you do this?”
“Because I knew you could do it.” He wiped my tears. “Because I believe in you more than you believe in yourself.”
The deal closed on a Friday.
$2.4 billion.
Press conference. Cameras.
Adrian gave the speech. Then he did something I didn’t expect.
He called me to the podium.
“Ava Bennett,” he said into the mic. “Without her, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Flash. Flash. Flash.
“I’m not just her boss,” he said. “She’s the reason I’m a better CEO. And a better man.”
My face was on every business channel that night.
That night. His penthouse.
Champagne.
“We did it,” he said, clinking my glass.
“We did.”
He set his glass down. Got on one knee.
My heart stopped.
“Ava Bennett,” he said. “Six months ago I hated you. Three months ago I fell in love with you. Today I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He opened a box.
A ring. Simple. Elegant. Massive diamond.
“Will you marry me?”
I couldn’t breathe.
“Adrian... the press... the board...”
“I don’t care.” He took my hand. “Say yes.”
“Yes,” I whispered. “Yes.”
He slid the ring on my finger and kissed me like the world was ending.
The next morning the news broke.
*ADRIAN BLACKWOOD ENGAGED TO FORMER EMPLOYEE*
*FROM ENEMIES TO ENGAGED: THE BLACKWOOD LOVE STORY*
My phone exploded.
Mom: `OH MY GOD!!!`
Secretary: `Congratulations Miss Bennett!`
Even Margaret: `Wow. Just wow.`
Adrian just smiled at all of it.
The engagement party was at Blackwood Tower.
500 people.
I wore white. He wore black.
His father was there. In a wheelchair, but smiling.
“Proud of you, son,” he said to Adrian. “And proud of you, Ava.”
I cried. Again.
Two weeks later.
We were in his office. Late.
Planning the wedding. Arguing about the guest list.
“200 people is too many,” I said.
“It’s my company, Ava. I have 200 VPs.”
“Fine. But no work talk at the reception.”
“Deal.”
He pulled me onto his lap. “You know what’s crazy?”
“What?”
“A year ago I would’ve destroyed you.”
“And I would’ve let you.”
“But now...” He kissed my neck. “Now I can’t live without you.”
The wedding was 6 months later.
Beach. Small. Only family and close friends.
I walked down the aisle to him.
He was crying. Adrian Blackwood was crying.
“I do,” we both said.
Epilogue: 1 Year Later
Blackwood Tower. 43rd floor.
My office now. Next to his.
Mrs. Blackwood on the door.
We’re working on a new project. Saving another company.
Adrian comes in with two coffees. Black.
“Mrs. Blackwood,” he says. “Your coffee.”
I take it. “Mr. Blackwood. Thank you.”
He sits on my desk. “How’s my wife?”
“Good.” I smile. “How’s my husband?”
“Better now.”
We work. Side by side.
Sometimes I think about that first day. The coffee runs. The hate.
And I think: thank God I didn’t quit.
Hating him was my full-time job.
Loving him is my forever job.
And I’m never clocking out.
End of Chapter 5
- Writer
