BETWEEN TWO BROTHERS AND A PAST

Chapter 14: Cold Connections

(Andrew POV)

I stood at the head of the conference table, the budget draft in my hand. Numbers glared up—red ink everywhere. I slammed it down, the thud cutting through the room. “We cut now or sink,” I said, voice hard. “No debate.”

Luke leaned forward, arms crossed. “Give them time,” he shot back. “Layoffs aren’t the only answer.”

My eyes narrowed. “They’re the only one that works.”

His jaw tightened. “You’re not even listening.”

“I’m listening,” I snapped, “to reality. Something you should try.”

The team around us shifted, papers rustling. Luke’s voice rose, sharp now. “You’re bulldozing everyone again. We can find another way.”

“There is no other way,” I said, leaning in. “You think optimism pays the bills? It doesn’t.”

He stood, chair scraping back. “And fear does? You’re turning this place into a graveyard.”

Tension crackled, thick and heavy. I glared at him. “Better a graveyard than a sinking ship. Sit down.”

He didn’t. “You’re wrong,” he said, loud enough for the whole room to hear.

I stepped closer, voice low. “You want to run this? Step up. Until then, shut up.”

He smirked, bitter. “Oh, I’d love to. But you’d never let go.”

“Damn right,” I replied. “I built this. Not you.”

He threw his hands up. “Fine. Kill it your way.”

I turned back to the table, dismissing him. “Next item,” I barked. The team jumped, flipping pages. Luke sat, fuming. Good. Let him stew, I didn’t need his whining dragging us down.

The door creaked open. I glanced up, Julia, reports in hand. She stepped in, hesitant, like she was walking into a storm. “Here,” she said, voice soft, setting them on the table.

“Drop it and go,” I snapped, not looking at her.

She flinched, eyes wide. “Sorry,” she muttered, backing off fast.

That word—soft, shaky—hit me. I froze, just for a second. Something stirred, buried deep. Her voice tugged at me, a thread I couldn’t grab. I shook it off, glaring at the reports instead. She was out the door before I could blink.

Luke snorted. “Nice. Real charming.”

“Shut up,” I said, flipping the top report open. Numbers again, more cuts to make. My head throbbed, but I forced my eyes to focus. Julia’s flinch lingered, though, those hazel eyes, too wide, too familiar. Why? I didn’t know her. Just some employee, some face in the crowd.

I growled under my breath. “Focus.” Had to. The breach, the board, Dad, all of it piling up. I couldn’t let some random woman throw me off. She was nothing. Less than nothing.

The meeting dragged on, cuts approved, timelines set. I ran it tight, no room for pushback. Luke stayed quiet, arms crossed, his glare boring into me. Fine by me. He’d get over it, or he wouldn’t. I didn’t care.

When they filed out, I stayed behind, leaning back in my chair. I rubbed my temples, the headache digging in. That “Sorry” echoed, where’d I hear it before? Not here, not her desk. Somewhere else. Older. I squeezed my eyes shut, chasing it. Nothing came just a blank, a blur.

I muttered, “Focus, damn it.” Opened my eyes, shook it off. Stress, that’s all. Cracking me open, letting ghosts slip in.

I grabbed the report she’d left, staring at it. Neat handwriting, precise stats, a company puzzle I couldn’t solve. Not the numbers, her. Why did she stick? I’d seen her what, a handful of times? Dropping files, dodging me. Quiet, efficient. Nothing to notice.

Except that voice. That flinch. I flipped the page, hard. Didn’t matter. Breach was live, someone in the system right now, IT said. That’s what I had to c***k. Not her.

I tossed the report down, leaning back again. My chest felt tight, too much coming at me. Dad’s pale face flashed, tubes, beeping machines. I’d missed it, stuck at that club. Then her, Julia. Hazel eyes in my head, uninvited. What the hell was wrong with me?

I stood, pacing to the window. City skyline stretched out, gray and sharp. My empire, teetering. I wouldn’t let it fall, not to hackers, not to Luke’s soft heart, not to the board. I’d fix it. Always did.

But that echo wouldn’t quit. “Sorry.” Soft, like a plea. I rubbed my face, hard. Party? That night five years back? Masks, drinks, a blur. I’d lost my keys, stumbled out. A woman, laughing, dancing. Was that her? No, couldn’t be. I’d never seen her face, not really.

I growled again. “Enough.” Turned back to the desk, grabbed my phone. Needed IT’s update, now. No more drifting.

The report sat there, mocking me. I picked it up again, scanning her notes. Solid work, better than most. I muttered, “Not bad.” Then stopped. Why’d I care? She was just, what? A hire? A shadow?

I slammed it down, fists on the desk. Control. That’s what I needed. Not this, whatever this was. Breach first. Board tomorrow. Everything else could wait.

My mind wouldn’t settle, though. Her voice looped, tugging harder. “Sorry.” Where? When? I squeezed the bridge of my nose, fighting it. Didn’t matter. Couldn’t matter.

I grabbed my jacket, ready to track down IT myself. Needed answers, real ones, not echoes. The breach was live, eating at us. I’d rip it out, root and all. No one messed with what was mine.

Luke’s words from earlier hit, You’re pushing everyone away. Maybe. Didn’t care. I’d rather push than lose. He’d learn that someday. Or he wouldn’t.

I headed for the door, steps quick. Had to move, had to act. Sitting here chasing ghosts wasn’t me.

The door flew open before I reached it. Sophie stormed in, heels clicking sharp. “We need to talk about us, now.”