THE RIVAL HEIR

CHAPTER 3:THE MEETING

Victoria pov

I spent the entire drive to Carter Tower trying to think of a reason to turn around.A flat tire or a fire alarm.Maybe the building would suddenly lose power.None of those things happened.Instead, Sofia drove in complete silence, one hand on the steering wheel while soft music played through the speakers.She glanced at me for a second.Sofia: "You've been quiet."Victoria: "I've been thinking."Sofia: "Dangerous."I managed to smile a little.Sofia: "You've been spending too much time with me." Victoria: "I have.”Outside the window, the city carried on like it always did. People hurried to work with coffee in their hands. Cars filled the streets. Someone laughed as they crossed the road.It felt strange.The whole world kept moving while mine seemed stuck in one place."You don't have to agree to anything today," Sofia said.Victoria: "I know."Sofia: "I'm serious."Victoria: "I know."She looked at me again, like she wasn't sure I believed my own answer.Neither was I.A few minutes later, the car slowed to a stop.I looked up at the building in front of usCARTER TOWER Tall enough to disappear into the clouds. The glass walls reflected the morning sun, making the entire building look almost untouchable.I let out a slow breath.Victoria: "I already hate this place."Sofia: "You haven't even gone inside."Victoria: "I don't think that's going to help."Sofia laughed softly before turning off the engine."We'll get through this." She replied. I hoped she was right.Inside, everything looked exactly the way I expected.Quiet, spotless, expensive. A receptionist looked up as soon as we walked in."Miss Neuman."I wasn't surprised she knew my name.After the gala, it felt like everyone did."This way, please."She led us toward a private elevator.The higher we went, the more anxious I felt.I wasn't scared of Alex.I wasn't even scared of Vincent Carter.I was scared of needing something from them.The elevator doors opened onto the top floor.The receptionist stopped outside a pair of large wooden doors. "They're waiting for you."I thanked her anyway before pushing the doors open.The room was already full.With lawyers, financial advisors.People in suits who looked like they'd built careers around making impossible situations sound reasonable.At the head of the table sat Vincent Carter.He stood as I walked in.Vincent: "Miss Neuman."Victoria: "Mr. Carter."His handshake was firm, polite, and impossible to read.Then my eyes drifted to the other side of the table.Alex was already looking at me.He gave a small nod."Victoria.""Alex."That was it.No awkwardness.No mention of the gala.Just two people pretending the last forty-eight hours hadn't happened.I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or annoyed."Please," Vincent said, gesturing toward an empty chair. "Let's begin."I sat down while Sofia took the seat beside me.A thick folder was placed in front of each of us. I didn't open mine.Something told me I wasn't going to like anything inside it.Vincent rested his hands on the table."I'll get straight to the point."I appreciated that.There wasn't much either of us could gain from pretending this was a friendly meeting.Vincent: "The market reacted more strongly to the gala than we expected."I glanced toward the screen mounted on the wall.News articles filled it.Photos of Alex and me standing on stage.Videos, headlines.Some of them weren't even about business anymore. Others were asking if there was something more between us.It would've been funny under different circumstances.Instead, it just felt exhausting."Our public image has become... connected," Vincent continued.I looked back at him."What exactly are you proposing?"He didn't answer right away.Instead, he slid a document across the table toward me.I looked down at the first page.I read the title twice, hoping I'd misunderstood it.Proposal for a Temporary Public Engagement.I stared at the document, hoping the words would somehow rearrange themselves into something less ridiculous.They didn't.I looked up at Vincent.Victoria: "You're serious."Vincent: "Completely."A laugh escaped me before I could stop it."You expect me to pretend to be engaged to your son?""It's a business arrangement," he replied evenly. "Nothing more."I turned to Alex.He hadn't said a word."What do you think?"His eyes met mine."I didn't come up with this.""That wasn't my question."He was quiet for a moment before answering."I think we're both in a difficult position."I wasn't sure whether that made me feel better or worse.Vincent slid another file toward me."If the announcement is handled properly, investor confidence could recover. Your company would have time to stabilize, and both families would benefit."“Benefit?”Such a simple word for something that felt anything but simple.I looked down at the papers again, but all I could think about was my employees.The receptionists who greeted guests by name.The housekeepers who had worked for my father for years.The chefs who treated every meal like it mattered.If Neuman Hotels collapsed, they wouldn't just lose a job.They'd lose a place that had become part of their lives."I need time," I said quietly."Of course," Vincent replied.I stood, closing the file without taking it."I'll think about it."As Sofia and I reached the door, I heard Alex's voice stopping me."Victoria."I turned."I'm sorry about Verona."For a second, he looked like he wanted to say more.Instead, he simply nodded.I left without answering.Somehow, his apology stayed with me all the way home.