The CEO’s Offer
2307 Words
ALEXANDER’S POV
The photograph wouldn’t leave my mind neither would Elena’s face when she’d seen it.
I had spent eight years imagining what would happen if I ever found her again.
In every fantasy, I was prepared. I would apologize, explain or I would tell her that I’d never stopped loving her. I had imagined anger, tears and maybe even rejection.
What I hadn’t imagined was someone dragging the past back into our lives before I’d even had a chance to earn a place in her present.
I stood behind the glass wall of my office, staring down at Los Angeles. Traffic crawled along the streets below while buildings reflected the morning sun. People moved through the city, unaware that the life I’d carefully constructed was beginning to fracture.
My phone rang.
“Talk to me.”
Lucas Reed’s voice came through the line.
“That’s a warm greeting.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“I know.”
“Did you trace the number?”
A pause.
“I’m still working on it.”
“Still?”
“It’s been less than twelve hours, Alex.”
“I don’t care.”
“You’re asking me to trace a number that disappeared from Elena’s phone after the messages were sent.”
“I know.”
“And the photograph?”
“I’m looking at it now.”
Lucas exhaled.
“Anything familiar?”
I looked at the photograph lying on my desk. Elena and me. Seventeen, happy and unaware that someone was watching us.
“Yes.”
“What?”
“The car.”
“Do you recognize it?”
“I’ve seen it before.”
“Where?”
“Outside my family’s house.”
Silence.
Lucas understood the significance immediately.
“Are you saying someone from your family was following you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then don’t accuse anyone yet.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
I picked up the photograph.
“Lucas.”
“Yeah?”
“Find out who owned that car.”
“You think it’s connected to the breakup?”
“I know it is.”
“How?”
“Because the date on the photograph is the night I left Elena.”
Another pause. Then Lucas said quietly, “Alexander…”
“I need answers.”
“You’ll get them.”
“I need them before my family does something else.”
“Your family?”
I stared at the photograph.
“My father isn’t the only person capable of keeping secrets.”
The office door opened and my assistant, Clara, stepped inside.
“Mr. Sterling?”
I looked up.
“Yes?”
“You have a meeting with the Hartwell executive team in twenty minutes.”
“Cancel it.”
Clara hesitated.
“Which one?”
“The entire executive meeting.”
“Should I reschedule?”
“No.”
She nodded, she paused. “There is one other matter.”
“What?”
“Elena Hart requested a transfer.”
My chest tightened.
“To which department?”
“San Francisco operations.”
“No.”
Clara blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t approve it.”
She looked uncomfortable. “I don’t think we can prevent her from requesting a transfer.”
“I know.”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
I leaned back.
“Nothing.”
Clara looked confused.
“Then why?”
“Because I’ll handle it myself.”
She nodded.
“Understood.”
When she left, I stared at the closed door.
Elena wanted to run and I couldn’t blame her. I’d spent eight years doing the same thing, running from the consequences of what I’d done but I wasn’t seventeen anymore, I wasn’t powerless and I wasn’t going to allow fear to make my decisions again.
The Hartwell offices were unusually quiet when I arrived.
Employees immediately straightened when they saw me but I ignored them.
My attention was on one person.
Elena.
She sat at her desk, staring at her computer. Her dark-brown hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. She wore a cream blouse and black trousers.
Professional, Composed and Beautiful.
I wondered if she knew how difficult it was for me to stand across a room from her and pretend I wasn’t thinking about kissing her.
I walked toward her.
She looked up.
Her expression immediately hardened.
“What are you doing here?”
“Working.”
“You’re the CEO.”
“And?”
“And CEOs usually don’t wander around acquired subsidiaries.”
“I do.”
She sighed.
“What do you want?”
“To speak with you.”
“About?”
“Your transfer request.”
Her eyes widened.
“How did you know?”
“I own the company.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“No.”
I pulled out the chair opposite her. She didn’t invite me to sit but I sat anyway.
“You requested a transfer to San Francisco.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to work here.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate and it hurt but I kept my expression neutral.
“You’re willing to uproot your career because of me?”
“I’ve rebuilt my career once.”
“And you think running will fix this?”
Her eyes flashed.
“I’m not running.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Protecting my peace.”
I almost smiled.
“You’ve always been stubborn.”
“And you’ve always been arrogant.”
“Fair.”
She looked surprised.
“You agree?”
“When it comes to you, I’ll agree to almost anything.”
She looked away. I knew I was getting under her skin although that wasn’t my intention, at least not entirely.
“Elena.”
“What?”
“I want to offer you a position.”
“No.”
“You haven’t heard it.”
“I don’t need to.”
“You’re going to be leading the strategic development division.”
She laughed.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You want me working directly under you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re talented.”
“You have hundreds of talented executives.”
“I want you.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You keep saying things that sound inappropriate.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then stop.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because lying to you was the biggest mistake of my life.”
Her expression softened for half a second then she looked away.
“How much?”
“What?”
“The salary.”
I almost laughed.
“You’re negotiating?”
“Of course.”
“Double your current salary.”
She stared at me.
“No.”
“Triple.”
“Alexander.”
“Four times.”
“You can’t buy me.”
“I know.”
“Then stop trying.”
I leaned forward.
“I am not trying to buy you.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Giving you an opportunity.”
“An opportunity you created because you bought my company.”
“Yes.”
“That isn’t an opportunity. It’s manipulation.”
I was silent because she was right.
“I understand why you see it that way.”
“Good.”
“But I’m not going to apologize for wanting you close.”
Her eyes met mine.
“I don’t want to be close to you.”
The words hurt but I hid it.
“Then I’ll find another reason to keep you close.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“What?”
I stood and she stared at me. I allowed myself a small smile.
“I’m not giving up.”
“Alexander”
“I’ll see you at the strategy meeting.”
“I’m not attending.”
“You are.”
“Who says?”
“I do.”
“You can’t order me to.”
“I can.”
“That’s exactly the problem.”
I walked away before I said something reckless.
Behind me, I heard her mutter:
“God, you’re impossible.”
I smiled. At least she was talking to me.
Three Hours Later
The boardroom was packed. Hartwell’s senior executives sat around the long table. Elena entered last and she didn’t look at me. I couldn’t blame her.
I waited until everyone had settled.
“Thank you for coming.”
The meeting began and we reviewed the company’s expansion strategy, financial projections, and upcoming projects.
Then I introduced the proposal.
“Sterling International will be launching a luxury coastal development initiative along the California coast.”
A presentation appeared on the screen.
Malibu, Santa Barbara, Monterey and Napa.
Several executives leaned forward.
“We’re looking at a portfolio of high-end properties and hospitality investments,” I continued.
Elena studied the documents.
“What is the projected budget?”
“Three hundred million.”
The room went silent while she looked at me.
“That’s ambitious.”
“It is.”
“What do you need?”
I met her gaze.
“You.”
Her eyes widened and the executives looked between us.
I continued calmly. “I want Elena to lead the strategic planning team.”
She immediately shook her head. “No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t have enough experience with a project of this scale.”
“You’re the most qualified person here.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know exactly what you’re capable of.”
The room went silent while She stared at me and I realized too late how personal the words sounded so I shifted my attention to the board.
“The project begins next month.”
An executive raised his hand.
“What about location?”
“Malibu.”
Elena looked back at the screen and something flickered across her face.
I remembered.The beach, The summer we’d spent there, The promise we’d made. I had chosen Malibu deliberately and maybe that made me selfish, maybe it made me foolish, but I couldn’t pretend I hadn’t wanted to recreate something we’d lost.
The meeting ended and while everyone left, Elena remained seated and I waited.
Finally she said, “You planned this.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“The Malibu project.”
“It has been in development for months.”
“Before you knew I worked here?”
“Yes.”
She looked at me.
“Then why did you assign me?”
“Because you’re the best person for it.”
She didn’t believe me and I didn’t expect her to.
She stood.
“You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?”
“No.”
“At least you’re honest.”
“I promised myself I would be.”
She walked toward the door.
“Elena.”
She stopped.
I hesitated. There were a thousand things I wanted to say. Instead, I said the simplest one.
“Dinner.”
She turned.
“What?”
“Have dinner with me.”
“No.”
“Tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Friday.”
“No.”
“Saturday.”
“Alexander.”
“Sunday?”
She laughed despite herself. It was small, barely there but I heard it and my heart did something ridiculous.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
“Because I haven’t heard you laugh in eight years.”
Her smile disappeared and she looked away.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
She left and I watched the door close behind her. Then my phone rang and showed Lucas calling.
I answered.
“Tell me.”
“I found something.”
My entire body went still.
“What?”
“The car in the photograph.”
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Who owned it?”
Lucas hesitated. “Alexander…”
“Tell me.”
“It was registered to a Sterling family company.”
My blood ran cold.
“Which one?”
“Sterling Security.”
I stared at the empty doorway. Someone from my family had been watching Elena and me the night I ended our relationship.
“Who was driving?”
“That’s the problem.”
“What?”
“The vehicle was assigned to a security officer.”
“Name.”
“Marcus Hale.”
I frowned. The name meant nothing.
“Where is he now?”
Lucas went silent.
“Lucas.”
“He died.”
“When?”
“Eight years ago.”
My heart stopped.
“That’s impossible.”
“Apparently not.”
“How?”
“Car accident.”
I stared at the photograph. Someone had been watching us. The car belonged to my family’s security company and the driver was dead.
And now, eight years later, the same mystery had resurfaced.
My phone buzzed. Another message from an unknown number.
“You should have left Elena alone.”
I stared at it. Then another message appeared.
“You were warned once.” My blood ran cold. “Don’t make us warn you again.”
I looked toward the door Elena had just walked through and For the first time in eight years, fear wasn’t about losing her. It was about what someone might do to keep us apart.
I immediately called Lucas.
“Find Elena.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
“What happened?”
“Someone is threatening her.”
Silence.
Then Lucas asked:
“Are you sure?”
I stared at the message.
“Yes.”
My voice hardened.
“And this time, I’m not letting anyone take her away from me.”
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