The Last Time We Loved

Chapter 11

Harrison

I didn’t wait for an invitation. The moment she stepped aside, stunned by my offer, I walked into her small apartment, I had stood for a while, and this wasn’t a conversation we should keep talking outside, she still looked indecisive, and I was here to convince her to return to the company.

I glanced around, the apartment was modest. A worn couch, a coffee table covered in medical bills. I took it all in with one sweeping glance.

She closed the door behind me and scoffed. “Make yourself comfortable,” she said sarcastically. “Not like I can stop you.”

I ignored the sarcasm and turned to face her. She looked exhausted. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but still had the same fire that had made her grab me by the jacket and kiss me in front of half the company lobby.

That moment had been replaying in my mind more often than I cared to admit, she was daring, or she had been.

“I’m not here to waste time, Miss Brooks,” I kept my voice calm. “The Orion real estate project you were leading is on the verge of collapse. The calculations you flagged months ago were ignored, and deliberately altered. The structural integrity is compromised, like I said before, three workers are injured, we need to correct it immediately.”

She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “I reject your offer, I won’t return to the company…”

“I know you didn’t make those errors despite what the official records say.” I interrupted her before she could further reject the offer without thinking it through.

Elara let out a cold laugh. “Funny, the company didn’t have any trouble believing it when they dragged me out of the building like a criminal.”

I took a step closer, watching her reaction. She didn’t back away, she looked like she still had fight left in her.

“I’ve reviewed the document myself.” I continued. “The alterations were slight but detectable. Someone went to great lengths to make it look like your mistake. I intend to find out who, but right now, the priority is fixing the project before more people get hurt.”

She stared at me, eyes narrowing with suspicion. “So you want me to come back and clean up the mess they created after they got me fired? After Jacob took credit for everything I did?”

“Yes.” I said honestly, I wasn’t ready to sugarcoat it.

Her mouth opened, then closed, for a moment I thought she would just say she would return, but pain flushed across her face and she walked away from me, walking toward the window.

“You have no idea what they did to me,” she said, her voice trembling with fury. “I gave that company five years of my life. I poured everything into that project, and in one afternoon, they stripped it all away. They humiliated me in front of everyone. My own boyfriend betrayed me and didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. And now you, the man I kissed out of pure desperation show up at my door claiming to be my new boss and you expect me to just return?”

I remained silent, letting her vent. Emotions had no place in business decisions, yet I watched her struggle, and pushed away the sympathy curling up in my chest.

“I’m also aware of your mother’s condition.” I said, if I can’t get her to return my way, I got to try another way, the company needs her, and I was tired of wasting time.

She turned to me, her eyes wide. “What?”

“Her condition is serious, she has an emergency heart surgery scheduled for tomorrow. The cost is huge and you have no means to cover it right now.” I said, stepping closer.

“My offer is simple, immediate reinstatement of your previous level with a twenty percent increase. Medical coverage for your mother’s surgery and recovery, and a substantial salary advance deposit tonight.”

She was speechless, I expected her to smile and accept the offer, but her hands clenched into fist at her side.

“You’re unbelievable.” She whispered. “You come into my house uninvited, and dangle my mother’s life in front of me like some kind of bargaining chip?”

“It’s not a bargaining chip,” I replied. “It’s a solution. Lives are on the line at the construction site, and your mother’s life is on the line here. I’m offering you the ability to save both.”

She shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. “That company ruined my reputation, and now I’m supposed to crawl back under your control? The same man I used to slap my ex in the face with? Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?”

“I do,” I lied. “But pride won’t pay these bills,” I gestured at the medical bills on the table. “Pride won’t keep your mother alive, and it certainly won’t prevent a building from collapsing on innocent people.”

Her breathing were haggard, she walked over to the coffee table and stared down at the medical bills scattered there. Her shoulders trembled slightly, her finger brushed over one of the invoices.

“You’re ruthless,” she whispered without looking at me.

I pulled out the contract from the side pocket of my coat and placed it on the table in front of her, along with a black pen.

“Sign it, and everything will be taken care of by morning. Your mother gets the care she needs, you get your job back, and we fix the project before it’s too late.”

She stared at the paper. I could see her pride screaming at her to throw the contract in my face, to tell me to go to hell, but I had used the love for her mother which was stronger.

I closed my eyes momentarily, pushing away the thought of my mother before they formed.

With shaking hands, she picked up the pen. Her fingers trembled so badly that she had to grip it with both hands. She read through the document quickly, though I doubt she was absorbing every word.

Tears finally slipped down her cheeks as she signed her name on the final page. She dropped the pen and I collected the contract and slipped it back into my coat.

“You made the right decision.” I said.

“Don’t,” she warned between clenched jaw. “Don’t pretend this is anything other than blackmail.”

I let out a heavy sigh and turned to leave, but paused at the door, turning slightly, I looked back at her. She stood in the middle of the room, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

“That kiss…” I said, allowing the thought to slip back through my memory. “We’ll discus it later.”

Her eyes widened, and I watched color rise to her cheek, I smirked, her heart was clearly racing, I could see the rapid pulse at the base of her throat.

without another glance and word, I stepped out and closed the door behind me, a smirk curled up on my lips as I left her apartment.

I always get what I want.