HIS LAST ASSISTANT

CHAPTER FOUR

The room went still just enough for Natalie to feel the blood drain slowly from her face.

For one terrible second, she thought she misheard.

Richard Halston..

Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the folder in her hand.

No, he wasn’t supposed to exist in this part of her life.

Across from her, Damien’s expression didn’t change. If anything, he became calmer.

“Why is he here?” He asked.

Samantha glanced briefly toward Natalie before answering carefully. “He says he requested a meeting with you last week.” She paused. “Apparently, he arrived early.”

Natalie’s heartbeat became uneven. This had to be coincidence.

Richard couldn’t possibly know she worked here already. Damien finally looked at her.

And somehow that was worse than Samantha saying Richard’s name because Damien noticed things.

“You know him personally.” He said quietly.

“Yes.”

The room fell silent again.

Samantha’s eyes moved between both of them carefully, like she was suddenly watching a situation become more complicated in real time.

Damien held Natalie’s gaze for a moment longer before speaking. “Do you want to leave?”

The question caught her off guard.

Natalie straightened slowly. “No.”

Something unreadable crossed Damien’s expression, then he nodded once. “Good.”

Samantha looked slightly concerned. “Mr. Cole, perhaps it would be better if—”

“No.” Damien interrupted calmly.

He turned toward Natalie again. “Come with me.”

•

•

The executive lounge on the forty-second floor overlooked Manhattan in cold sheets of silver and glass.

Richard Halston stood near the windows with his back partially turned when Damien and Natalie entered.

The moment Natalie saw him fully, every ugly memory hit at once.

The expensive cologne, the controlled smile, the confidence.

God, she hated that confidence most of all.

Richard turned and froze.

For the first time since she’d known him, Richard Halston looked genuinely surprised.

“Natalie.”

Her name left his mouth smoothly, like he hadn’t destroyed her life six months ago.

Natalie kept her face blank.

Damien walked past her calmly, completely unaffected by the tension thickening the room.

“Richard.” He greeted evenly. “You said this meeting was urgent.”

Richard’s eyes remained fixed on Natalie for another second before he finally recovered enough to smile.

“Yes.” He replied. “I just didn’t realize you’d already hired my former employee.”

Former employee.

Natalie’s jaw tightened.

Damien moved toward the bar area. “Interesting phrasing.”

Richard laughed lightly, but it sounded forced now. “Well, Natalie and I certainly have history.”

Natalie finally spoke. “Not the kind you should be proud of.”

Richard’s gaze snapped toward her.

There was a tiny shift, he didn’t like being challenged publicly.

Damien noticed it too.

But Damien himself remained infuriatingly calm, he poured himself a drink before speaking again. “You came here to discuss a merger proposal.” He said. “Not personal history.”

Richard’s smile returned quickly. “Of course.”

But now the atmosphere had changed, Natalie could feel it.

Richard hadn’t expected to find her here and suddenly, he was no longer fully in control of the room. That bothered him.

Damien finally sat down, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee. “Continue.”

Richard adjusted his cufflinks before speaking. “Our firms have overlapping interests in European expansion. I thought collaboration might be beneficial.”

Natalie stayed silent near the far side of the room, but she watched everything carefully.

Richard talked confidently and smoothly like a man who had spent years convincing people to trust him.

And maybe that was the scariest thing about him.

Not what he did in private but how believable he looked in public.

At one point, his eyes briefly flickered toward Natalie again.

Natalie caught it. He was trying to figure out what she had already told Damien.

Damien noticed too.

“Is there a problem?” He asked mildly.

Richard smiled immediately. “None at all.”

Liar.

Natalie almost hated how easily the word formed in her mind.

The meeting continued for another twenty minutes but underneath every sentence, another conversation was happening silently.

Richard trying to regain control, Damien observing, Natalie trying not to let her past crawl visibly across her skin.

Finally, Damien set his glass down. “I’m not interested.”

The words landed cleanly.

Richard blinked once. “Excuse me?”

“The merger.” Damien clarified. “I’m declining.”

Richard laughed lightly again. “Surely we can negotiate.”

“No.”

His words were calm, emotionless, but final.

For the first time, irritation flashed openly across Richard’s face. “You’re refusing without discussion?”

Damien’s eyes rested on him evenly. “I discussed it.” He said. “Internally.”

Natalie suddenly realized what he meant.

The meeting earlier. The acquisition flaw she exposed.

Richard realized it too, his expression hardened almost invisibly.

Then his gaze moved slowly toward Natalie, and just like that, she watched his ego bleed.

“You’re trusting her judgment?” Richard asked carefully.

Damien didn’t even look at Natalie when he answered. “Yes.”

“With all due respect.” Richard said slowly, “Natalie’s judgment has always been emotionally compromised.”

Natalie felt the attack immediately.

Damien leaned back slightly. “And what exactly does that mean?”

Richard’s expression remained perfectly composed. “It means Natalie has difficulty separating personal feelings from professional environments.”

Natalie almost laughed, she opened her mouth and then stopped, because Damien was still watching Richard.

Richard continued smoothly. “I only mention it because I’d hate for personal instability to affect your company.”

Natalie felt anger rise hot beneath her skin.

But before she could react, Damien finally spoke. “Interesting.”

Richard paused.

Damien’s voice remained calm.

“Most executives would simply say someone was incompetent.” He pausedt. “You seem unusually invested in discrediting her psychologically.”

The room went silent.

Natalie’s breath caught slightly.

Richard recovered quickly. “I’m speaking from experience.”

Damien tilted his head slightly. “And I’m listening from observation.”

Damien stood, the conversation was over.

Richard clearly realized it too, his jaw tightened almost invisibly before he smoothed it away again.

“Very well.” He said. “I’ll have my office forward revised proposals.”

Damien nodded once. “Don’t.”

The single word stopped Richard completely.

Damien walked toward him slowly now. “I don’t repeat myself.” Damien said quietly.

For the first time since entering the room, Richard looked genuinely unsettled, he had just realized Damien Cole was not someone he could manipulate easily.

Richard’s eyes slid toward Natalie one final time before he headed toward the door.

The door closed behind him.

Silence filled the room immediately afterward, Natalie released a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

Then Damien turned toward her. “You never filed a formal complaint against him.”

Her stomach tightened.

Natalie crossed her arms slowly. “Would it have mattered?”

Damien didn’t answer immediately.

She looked away first. “I knew nobody would choose me over him.” She said quietly.

The words came out flatter than she intended.

He walked closer slowly. “You were wrong about one thing.”

Natalie frowned slightly and looked up at him.

Damien held her gaze steadily. “I would.”

A sharp knock suddenly interrupted the moment.

Samantha entered quickly, looking tense. “Mr. Cole.” She said carefully. “There’s a situation downstairs.”

Damien’s expression cooled instantly. “What now?”

Samantha hesitated. “The press is outside.”

Natalie’s stomach dropped.

Because she already knew why.