Chapter 10: Cole Ventures First Big Win
407 Words
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*Friday. 4:59pm. Cole Ventures.*
10 people.
One conference room.
Zero sleep for 2 weeks.
The client was on Zoom.
“...and we’re ready to sign,” he said.
“$20 million. 3 years.”
Silence.
Then David screamed.
The whole office screamed.
Adrian looked at me across the table.
We did it.
No Victor.
No board.
Just us.
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*7pm. Rooftop. Our office building.*
Champagne.
String lights.
The whole team.
David clinked his glass.
“To Adrian and Zara. To Cole Ventures.
To proving everyone wrong.”
Everyone cheered.
Adrian pulled me to the side.
Away from everyone.
“You did this,” he said.
“We did this,” I corrected.
He smiled. That real one.
“I’ve closed billion dollar deals,” he said.
“This feels better.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re here,” he said.
My heart did that thing.
The thing it did 4 years ago.
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*11pm. Penthouse.*
We were buzzing.
Adrenaline. Champagne.
Adrian poured us more.
“To us,” he said.
“To us,” I said.
We drank.
He set the glasses down.
And just looked at me.
“Zara,” he said.
“Yeah?”
“I...”
He stopped.
“What?”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“I’ve never said this to anyone. Not for real.”
My stomach dropped.
“I love you,” he said.
Not whispered.
Not during a kiss.
Just said it. Plain.
“I love you. Not because of the contract.
Not because you saved me.
Because of you. The way you burn pasta.
The way you fight for people.
The way you look at me like I’m not broken.”
I started crying.
Stupid happy tears.
“I love you too,” I said. “You idiot.”
He laughed. Pulled me to him.
“I waited 4 years to say that.”
“Me too,” I whispered.
And he kissed me.
Slow.
Like we had all the time in the world.
Because now we did.
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*The next morning.*
Headlines:
*COLE VENTURES LANDS $20M DEAL*
*ADRIAN COLE’S NEW COMPANY THRIVING*
Comments:
`Maybe the fake marriage was worth it??`
`She’s good for him`
Adrian showed me.
“Look,” he said. “They’re coming around.”
I leaned on him.
“Who cares,” I said. “We know the truth.”
He kissed my forehead.
“Yeah. We do.”
---
*
- Writer
