Three Years After the Rejection
1066 Words
CHAPTER TWO
Three years later, Elena Carter had learned one important lesson.
Never wait for someone to choose you.
The lesson had cost her a broken heart, a cancelled wedding, and almost everything she once believed about love.
But it had also made her stronger.
"Miss Carter?"
Elena looked up from the documents on her desk.
Mia stood at the office door holding a tablet.
"The board meeting starts in twenty minutes."
"I know."
"There's something else."
Elena noticed the hesitation in her assistant's voice.
"What is it?"
Mia walked into the office and placed the tablet on the desk.
"Black Enterprises submitted an acquisition proposal this morning."
Elena's fingers stopped moving.
For three years, she had avoided that name.
Alexander Black.
She had trained herself not to search for him online.
Not to read newspaper articles about him.
Not to ask mutual friends about his life.
She had even changed her favorite coffee shop because she once saw him there.
She had convinced herself she was over him.
But seeing his company's name on her desk made something inside her ache.
"What are they offering?"
"Thirty percent of Carter Technologies."
Elena glanced at the proposal.
"Reject it."
Mia blinked.
"You haven't read it."
"I don't need to."
"It's worth almost twice the company's current market valuation."
"Still no."
Mia hesitated.
"There's another detail."
Elena looked up.
"Alexander Black personally signed the proposal."
Silence.
The office suddenly felt too small.
Elena closed the file.
"Reject it."
Mia nodded.
"Understood."
She turned toward the door.
"Mia."
"Yes?"
"If they contact you again, don't arrange a meeting."
"Okay."
"And don't mention his name to me."
Mia gave her a sympathetic look.
"I'll try."
After Mia left, Elena leaned back in her chair.
She hated that her hands were shaking.
Three years.
Why was his name still capable of doing this to her?
She looked toward the city outside her window.
Three years ago, she had walked away from Alexander with nothing.
Today, Carter Technologies was worth hundreds of millions.
She had built it herself.
No family connections.
No wealthy husband.
No Alexander Black.
Just her.
And she was proud of that.
Her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Unknown Number.
She almost ignored it.
Something made her answer.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then a familiar voice.
"Elena."
Her entire body froze.
She knew that voice.
She could never forget it.
"Alexander."
"Yes."
"What do you want?"
"I need to see you."
"No."
"I expected that."
"Then why call?"
"Because there are things you need to know."
Elena laughed bitterly.
"You had three years to tell me things."
"I know."
"You had three years to explain why you humiliated me in front of everyone."
"I know."
"You had three years to apologize."
"I know."
Her voice became colder.
"So what makes today different?"
Alexander was silent for several seconds.
Then he said:
"Your father's death wasn't an accident."
Elena stopped breathing.
"What?"
"I know who killed him."
Her hand tightened around the phone.
"Who?"
"I'll tell you when I see you."
"No."
"Elena—"
"Whatever you're trying to do, it won't work."
"I'm not trying to win you back."
She laughed.
"Good."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
Her smile disappeared.
"What does that mean?"
"You've been asking questions about your father's old company."
Elena's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know?"
"Because someone has been watching you."
She stood abruptly.
"Who?"
"I don't know yet."
"Then why should I believe you?"
"You shouldn't."
His voice became unusually serious.
"Just be careful."
The call ended.
Elena stared at the phone.
For several seconds, she couldn't move.
Then she heard a knock.
Mia entered.
"Miss Carter, there's a man downstairs."
"Who?"
"He wouldn't give his name."
"What does he want?"
"He said he has something that belonged to your father."
Elena's heart began beating faster.
"Send him up."
A few minutes later, the office door opened.
An elderly man entered.
He looked nervous.
"Miss Carter?"
"Yes."
He removed a small brown envelope from inside his jacket.
"Your father gave me this three days before he died."
Elena stared at the envelope.
"Why are you giving it to me now?"
The man looked toward the door.
"Because I was afraid."
"Afraid of whom?"
He swallowed.
"Richard."
Elena's blood ran cold.
Her uncle.
The man who had raised her after her father's death.
The man she had trusted.
"What did my uncle do?"
"I don't know."
The man pushed the envelope toward her.
"But your father told me something."
"What?"
"He said that if he died, I should give this to you only when you were old enough to understand the truth."
Elena slowly picked it up.
"What truth?"
The man looked directly into her eyes.
"Your father knew he was going to die."
Elena's fingers trembled.
Before she could ask another question, the man turned toward the door.
"Wait."
He stopped.
"Who are you?"
He hesitated.
"My name is Daniel Harrison."
Elena's eyes widened.
"You're Daniel Harrison?"
Her father had mentioned that name countless times.
His oldest friend.
His most trusted business partner.
Daniel nodded.
"I should have come sooner."
"Why didn't you?"
His face filled with regret.
"Because someone was watching me."
He opened the door.
Then paused.
"Miss Carter..."
"Yes?"
"Don't trust anyone."
He walked away.
Elena stood alone.
She looked at the envelope.
There was no return address.
Only her name.
ELENA CARTER
She opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Her father stood beside another man.
Elena recognized him immediately.
Victor Black.
Alexander's father.
But there was something else.
A handwritten note was attached to the photograph.
Your father and Victor Black were working together.
Elena's heart pounded.
She turned the photograph over.
Three words were written on the back.
ASK ALEXANDER WHY.
Her phone suddenly rang.
Alexander again.
Elena stared at the screen.
She didn't answer.
The phone stopped.
Then a message appeared.
Alexander: I know you received the envelope.
Elena's blood ran cold.
A second message arrived.
Alexander: Whatever you do, don't open the second envelope.
Elena looked down.
Her eyes widened.
There was another envelope underneath the photograph.
She hadn't noticed it.
Slowly, she reached for it.
And before she could open it, someone knocked violently on her office door.
Three hard knocks.
Elena froze.
Then a man's voice came from outside.
"Miss Carter?"
She recognized the voice.
It was her uncle Richard.
To be continued.
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