His Dearest Obsession

Chapter 3 - The Partnership

Aria Sinclair

I decided I wasn't going to think about Damien Voss again.

Whatever reason he had for knowing my name wasn't important.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

I sat at the small desk in my hotel room with my laptop open in front of me, going through the partnership documents for what felt like the hundredth time.

The Voss Corporation deal was important.

My agency had spent months negotiating it, and now that everything was finally moving forward, I wasn't going to allow one strange encounter with a billionaire CEO to distract me from doing my job.

I scrolled through the proposal and made a few notes.

The international expansion strategy was solid. The financial projections were realistic, and we'd already adjusted the areas their legal team had questioned.

I leaned back in my chair and sighed.

Everything was under control.

My phone rang.

I glanced at the screen to check who it was.

Elena.

I answered the phone

"Please tell me you're still not working," Elena asked as soon as the call connected.

I looked at my laptop.

"I am." I replied.

"It's almost midnight, Aria." She said worriedly.

"I know."

"You've been back in New York for less than twenty-four hours."

"And?"

"And you need to rest."

I smiled.

"I'll rest when we close the deal."

She sighed dramatically.

"That's exactly why I called. We have another meeting tomorrow."

I frowned.

"Tomorrow?"

"Ten in the morning."

"That was quick."

"Apparently, Mr. Voss wants to discuss the next phase himself."

I stared at the screen.

"Personally?"

"That's what I was told."

I didn't understand it.

Damien Voss was the CEO of one of the largest corporations in the country. Surely he had better things to do than sit through every meeting concerning one partnership.

"Fine," I said. "I'll be there."

"Good. And Aria?"

"Yes?"

"Try to sleep."

"I'll try."

She hung up.

I closed my laptop and stared at the ceiling.

I couldn't explain why Damien's face kept coming back to my mind.

More specifically, his eyes.

There had been something familiar about them.

Something I couldn't place.

I pushed the thought away.

I was here for business.

Nothing else.

---

The next morning, I arrived at Voss Corporation fifteen minutes early.

I stepped out of the elevator and walked toward the conference room, carrying my tablet in one hand.

The receptionist greeted me before I could say anything.

"Good morning, Ms. Sinclair. Mr. Voss is expecting you."

"Good morning."

I thanked her and continued down the hallway.

When I entered the conference room, Damien was already there.

Alone.

He stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows with his hands in his pockets.

He turned the moment he heard me enter.

Our eyes met.

That same strange feeling returned.

For a second, I wondered again if I'd met him before.

But nothing came to me.

"Good morning, Mr. Voss."

"Good morning."

His voice was calm.

I took my seat.

Soon, the other executives arrived, and the meeting began.

I focused on the presentation.

I explained our revised strategy, answered questions and defended several of our recommendations.

Damien barely interrupted.

He simply listened.

Or at least, that's what I thought he was doing.

Until I looked up and caught him staring at me.

Again.

I continued speaking.

A few minutes later, I caught him doing it again.

It was becoming irritating.

Finally, I stopped.

"Is there a problem?"

The room went quiet.

Damien didn't seem bothered.

"No."

"Then why do you keep staring at me?"

Someone beside me shifted in their chair.

Damien leaned back.

"I was listening."

"With your eyes?"

The words came out before I could stop them.

For a second, I thought I'd gone too far.

Then I saw the faintest hint of amusement in his expression.

"You're very observant."

"I have to be."

He looked at me for another second.

"Apparently."

I returned my attention to the presentation.

Whatever his problem was, I wasn't going to let it affect me.

The meeting continued for another hour.

By the time we reached the end, we'd agreed on most of the major terms.

I closed my tablet.

"I believe that's everything."

Damien nodded.

"For today."

I looked at him.

"For today?"

"There are still a few details that need to be finalized."

"Our legal teams can handle them."

"They can."

He paused.

"But I'd prefer you remain involved."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"You're leading the project."

"So?"

"I want the person responsible for it involved in the final negotiations."

His answer was reasonable.

Still, something about it didn't sit right with me.

"Fine."

I stood.

"I'll see you at the next meeting."

His eyes followed me as I walked toward the door.

I ignored it.

I wasn't going to let Damien Voss make me uncomfortable in my own workplace.

---

Damien Voss

I remained in the conference room after everyone left.

For a moment, I simply stared at the closed doors.

Aria Sinclair.

I still couldn't believe she was sitting across from me.

Seven years.

Seven years since the night she found me injured and helped me without knowing who I was.

I remembered that night clearly.

The pain.

The rain.

Her voice.

She had been young, but she hadn't been frightened.

I'd told her to leave.

She'd ignored me.

I'd never forgotten that.

Not because she saved my life.

Because of the way she did it.

She didn't care about my name.

She didn't know my reputation.

She didn't look at me like everyone else did.

She simply saw an injured man and decided to help him.

After I recovered, I tried to find her.

I searched everywhere I could.

But she'd already left New York.

For years, I had wondered where she went.

Now I knew.

London.

She had built an entire life there.

A successful career.

A life without me.

And somehow, she had returned to New York and walked straight into my company.

I wasn't sure whether to call it a coincidence.

I didn't believe in coincidences.

The door opened.

Adrian stepped inside with a folder in his hand.

"Sir."

I looked at him.

"I have the information you requested."

I held out my hand.

He gave me the folder.

I opened it.

The first pages contained Aria's professional history.

London.

Her education.

Her career.

Her promotions.

Her achievements.

She had done well for herself.

Very well.

I turned to another page.

Then I stopped.

Date of departure from New York: September 14.

I stared at the date.

Something about it bothered me.

I turned the page.

My eyes landed on another date.

Julian Sinclair — missing since September 17.

I froze.

Three days.

Only three days separated Aria's departure from her father's disappearance.

I looked at the dates again.

There was no way that was meaningless.

I closed the folder slowly.

"Adrian."

"Yes, sir?"

"I want everything on Julian Sinclair."

Adrian hesitated.

"We already have his basic records."

"Then find more."

I looked down at the folder.

"Every business deal. Every meeting. Every person he contacted before he disappeared."

Adrian nodded.

"Understood."

He turned toward the door.

"Adrian."

He stopped.

"Don't let anyone know I'm investigating this."

"Of cour

se."

The door closed behind him.

I looked down at the folder again.

For seven years, I had searched for Aria because I couldn't forget the woman who saved my life.

Now she'd returned.

And somehow, her return had brought me back to a mystery I'd thought was buried years ago.

Her father disappeared three days after she left New York.

That couldn't be a coincidence.

And I intended to find out why.