Chapter 4~Business partners
1344 Words
Ashley’s POV.
“We have less than an hour before the meeting with Mr Raines ma’am.” My secretary reminds me, dropping the remaining files I had to endorse for the day.
“Alright, make sure the meeting room is ready for his team while I round up here.”
“Sure thing.”
After the whole shenanigans, I'm finally back to work. I’ve been careless with my position as CEO since the ordeal with Jasper and I swore to myself that I won't get carried away by anything again.
After the passing of both my parents, the company was handed to my sister and I when we turned 21. Our uncle helped run the company for nine years before retiring. Leah had no interest in inheriting the family business and chased her passion for fashion, leaving me to automatically take up the position as CEO.
My parents had my sister and I at a very young age. They loved each other so much and decided to keep the pregnancy despite opposition from both their parents.
My Dad’s mother despised my mother so much and claimed she was a gold digger who was only after the family’s money. She went through so much being married to my dad up until the car crash. The memory of that day, still freshly engraved in my head, haunts me till date.
I’ve been running EventSi for just 4 years and I’ve managed to continue the legacy of our multimillion dollar company.
RainesTech might just be one of our biggest clients of the year and if this business deal becomes successful, we’re looking at having them as one of EventSI’s promising business partners.
I sign the last document and push back my wingback recliner.
Let’s do this, I sigh and make my way to the elevator, taking me to the meeting room where Mr Raines and his team waits.
I inhale once to steady and control my breathing, then push the door open, with my secretary Nora right behind me.
My gaze sweeps the room confidently and meets with three pairs of eyes. Two women and a man before landing on the tall figure at the head of the table. The businesslike smile I plaster on my face wavers.
My heart skips a beat. Then again.
No no no. This cannot be happening. It can’t be.
I blink… and it is.
The man I spent that wild, passionate night with. The man I slipped away from and vowed never to have anything to do with, is standing here with an expression that mirrors the same shocked expression as mine. It’s gone in a blink of an eye, replaced with an unreadable expression.
“Miss Sinclair,” he says, voice laced with danger. “Pleasure to finally meet you.”
What a liar.
I blink once, collecting myself.
“We look forward to working with you… Mr Raines,” I reply, straightening my spine and stretching a hand to meet his.
Electricity shoots up my arm at the contact. “Impress me and You have RainesTech as a new client.”
I grace him with a tight lipped smile. “Oh, I plan to.”
```
The meeting goes smoothly despite the tension between Damon… I mean Mr Reines and I.
“Trust us to bring your vision to life, you definitely won’t regret choosing EventSi to launch your amazing project. We give you our word,” I give the team an assuring smile once they look up from their tablets and laptops containing detailed information on how the event is to be executed.
“I expect nothing less, and will accept nothing less than perfection,” Mr Reines says firmly. “I don’t do mediocre.” he says with a finality.
His gaze flickers between his team, Nora and I and says “If you’d please excuse Miss Sinclair and I, I’d like to have a private discussion with her.” He says suspiciously with a small smile that can make hearts fly from their chest.
No one suspects the change in his tone and shuffles out without questioning.
I’m left alone with those ice-grey orbits staring at me intensely and I shudder under his gaze. I stare back acting like I felt unmoved by his presence. Neither of us speak.
“So you are the new CEO of EventSi I heard about?” Mr Reines says, his brows furrowed.
“I won’t exactly call myself the new CEO, seeing that I’ve been working in this enterprise for over four years now,” I cross my legs. “But yes, I am.”
“I see,” he continues “Today’s meeting was impressive—a different side of the girl I met at the bar a few nights ago.”
My chest heats up and spreads all the way to my flipping neck. Urgh
“I was…” I clear my throat “Reckless.”
“I never expected it to be you at all. That night was a mistake and I was carried away emotionally. Please forget about whatever happened.”
His eyes darken. “Is that why you left without a word the following morning?” I wince. When I woke up the next morning, the realization of what I'd done hit me and to say I was mortified would be an understatement.
I mean, I should at least have the decency to wait till my divorce was finalized. It’s not like Jasper had any respect for you while screwing your sister on your bed. A voice mocks somewhere in my head.
I stand up suddenly, sending my chair screeching backward. He stands too, towering over my much smaller frame with his. I felt small and intimidated, but I steel my expression hoping my non-verbal message is passed across.
But I should have known what a persistent d**k he is, when he leans in and whispers into my ear, making goosebumps to rise in its wake. “We’ll see about that, Little vixen” and walks out of the room without acknowledging the state he left me.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when he closed the door behind him with a slam.
“f**k! Am I screwed?” I whisper to myself, eyes darting like someone will magically answer my question.
I pick up my phone to call Dani. Not to save me this time but to cuss her out for dragging me along to that bloody club and making me a mess!
“Hii girl, this is odd, you never call during work hours… Hello Mrs baker, fresh roses again? Same batch?” Dani diverts our conversation to a regular customer of hers.”
“What’s up, anything wrong?” concern laces her voice and i almost melt for a second. Hell no.
“Remember the huge client I talked about securing? ReinesTech?”
“Yeah I remember, and…”
“Apparently, Mr Reines is the guy I met at the club that night.” I screech out.
“SHUT. THE. f**k. UP! YOU RAILED YOUR BUSINESS PROSPECT?!?!”
Dramatic much.
“Mrs Baker just gave me the stink eye cause of ya”
“This is all your fault,” I hissed. “After work, I’m coming to find your ass and throw it off a cliff.”
“Hey! Don’t go blaming me for your poor choices. You liked the way he f****d you senseless anyways.” I can imagine her wiggling her brows and sending poor Mrs Baker into cardiac arrest.
She’s half right, but I'm going to push the blame on her to make me feel better. It’s our love language.
“Whatever,” I mumble, “spare Mrs Baker from your vulgar mouth. I’m cutting the call.”
“Bye bye bestie. Hope you guys kissed and had a hot make out session in memorial though and-”
I cut the call before she utters any more profanities and brace myself for the rollercoaster I signed up for.
Fuck my life.
- Writer
