Chapter two: Breeding Problems
1011 Words
Julian's POV;
Watching her walk into my office had been surreal. I had to blink away the sight several times to be sure of what I was seeing. I had half expected her to turn around and flee on seeing my face but it looked like she had expected me.
Like she wanted to see me.
Ten years ago, I would have given up my earthly possessions to see that longing look on her face. But she had turned me away then. And now, here she was again. Hoping to spin me in her little web of lies and deceit.
It hurt to admit it but I couldn't deny the stirring in my heart, the throbbing in my groin at the sight of her. The attraction was still there, palpable in the air even if I now hated her.
She was desperate but that made two of us. If she stayed a minute longer, I was afraid I would grant her desires out of lingering feelings. Or lust. And that wouldn't be good.
I turned her away when all I really wanted to do was ask why she did what she had done to me all those years ago. But that would be giving her leverage to spout even more lies. That would be admitting that I still cared. That I hadn't received closure.
And I had. The past was lost and forgotten to me and there were no pestering feelings for Valerie. None whatsoever.
Yet, I couldn't deny the emotions arousing in me. It took all I had to push them down, and to act like she didn't affect me in the slightest.
That chapter of my life was over. My temp, Emily, would definitely not be getting back to her regardless of what I had said to dismiss her.
I was still trying to get some work done and get the thoughts of Valerie and the memories she had triggered out of my brain when my business partner, Jack, visited.
While I was the brains behind our joint business, Jack was the funder. Being a trust fund kid with a primal urge to spend the millions in his account, it hadn't been very hard convincing him to invest in my proposal. That proposal had earned us what we had now. It had earned me my current status in the world, my chains of companies. And while I knew I had to remain inherently grateful to Jack because of his funding, he was fast becoming an asshole, wanting more than he could bite.
"Mulled over my offer again?" He asked, his short and stocky frame, taking cocky strides across the room.
"I'm not letting you buy me out, Jack," I replied firmly, loathing the fact that I was spelling it out for the umpteenth time.
"You're saying that because you haven't looked over the contract already. You haven't seen the mouthwatering figures." He drew out a chair and plopoed himself in it.
Emily was doing a bad job. What right did he have badging into my office and acting like he owned the place? I was the major shareholder of my company but Jack was dangerously close in percentage.
But I couldn't sell out this company. It was the first of many. The beginning of my growth in the corporate and tech world. The base that I set for many others to follow. My other companies were doing well, some even more than J&J still it wasn't any justification.
"I'm trying to work here, Jack," I said tightly. "Something you can't relate to."
He raised his hands up in surrender. "I threw in enough bucks to make up for my absence."
I didn't mention the fact that he was still earning a lot from an investment he had made years ago thanks to my efficiency. There was no need to. It was basically an elephant in the room.
"Why don't you want to sell?"
"You know what," I tapped my fountain pen against the table. "I've also been considering the option of having full autonomy over J&J. Why don't you sell to me, Jack?"
His features tightened. "You have several more that you have autonomy over."
"And you are a serial investor. You are certainly the major shareholder of a number of companies. You can buy any of these companies."
"Stalking me Saint Clair?"
"I prefer the term trying to keep track of my partner's steps in order to forsee any loophole."
Gathering himself to his full sitting height, which wasn't much, considering he was only 5"5, he put on a mask of seriousness. "You own several others, Julian. How come you just can't let me have this for a price?"
"No amount of pestering you think would make me yield to your desires would work. Can you step out when you are done?"
He regarded me with the air of an owner indulging his pet on a favourite play knowing he would take it away later.
But I knew one thing. Jack was never getting this company. Because if he did, I was certain he would run it to the ground. The company had a future too bright to let Jack run. It would have to be liquidated in no time at all.
It was at closing hours while I was tackling the copious work I had plagued myself with to distract myself from stray thoughts when Emily stumbled in with a frenzied look and her work tablet in her hand.
"Sir," she called in a panic stricken voice strutting over to me in too high heels. "The press… they have…" she stammered. Then taking a big swallow, she shoved the tablet in my face. "You have to see this."
CORPORATE GIANT'S, PARTNER IN J&J TECH FIRM, STAUNCH INVOLVEMENT IN RECENT DRUG PEDDLING CONFIRMED
Not much amused or shocked me but this headline from one of the reputable business blogs almost made my face go sheet white.
I wasn't patient enough to read through the entire article
. My senses were already being alerted to danger.
"What. The. Fuck."
- Writer
