The Life we never Planned

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

HIS POV

I was halfway through a meeting when my assistant walked in.

She didn't usually interrupt me.

That alone made me look up.

"Sir, the chairman of Westbridge Holdings is here."

"Why?"

"He says it's about the Aurelia expansion."

I leaned back in my chair.

"Send him in."

A minute later, the door opened.

He walked in with two men behind him.

I didn't bother standing.

"Sit."

He took the chair opposite me.

"We need to discuss your decision regarding the local partners."

"There is nothing to discuss."

He frowned. "You removed three companies from the project overnight."

"They weren't good enough."

"They've worked with us for years."

"And?"

He stared at me.

I could already see where this conversation was going.

"You can't keep making decisions like this without considering the people involved."

"I can."

"That's not how partnerships work."

I closed the file in front of me.

"Then find another partner."

Silence.

He finally leaned forward.

"You're becoming too difficult to work with."

I almost smiled.

"I've heard that before."

He stood abruptly.

"You'll regret pushing everyone away."

I looked at him calmly.

"No. I regret keeping people around after they've shown me they can't keep up."

He left without another word.

My assistant waited until the door closed.

"Should I cancel the rest of your meetings?"

"No."

I stood and walked toward the window.

My eyes landed on the city below.

Everything moved exactly as it should.

Except one thing.

Angela.

I checked the time.

Her meeting with me had been productive that morning.

She had challenged two of my suggestions without hesitation, then changed my mind on one of them.

I respected that.

Most people came into my office trying to impress me.

She came in trying to prove her point.

There was a difference.

My phone buzzed.

A message from my mother.

Dinner tonight. Don't make me ask twice.

I stared at it.

Normally, I would have ignored it.

Instead, I typed:

Fine.

I slipped the phone into my pocket.

Then my assistant spoke from behind me.

"There's one more thing."

I turned.

"What?"

"Angela's company sent the updated documents."

I held out my hand.

"Give them to me."

She passed the file over.

I opened it.

Everything was organized.

Detailed.

Precise.

She had clearly spent hours on it.

I couldn't help the small smile that crossed my face.

"She really doesn't know how to slow down."

My assistant looked at me.

"Sir?"

"Nothing."

I closed the file.

"Put her proposal at the top of tomorrow's schedule."

"Another meeting?"

"Yes."

She nodded.

As she left, I looked down at the file again.

Three years ago, she had been a woman I saw for only a few minutes.

Now she was becoming part of my everyday life.

And I wasn't sure whether that was a good thing.

Because the more I got to know Angela, the harder it was becoming to pretend that I only wanted her business.