VILLA OF THORNS

INTERRUPTED DEALS

The boardroom was immaculate: a long, polished mahogany table framed by floor‑to‑ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. Yiannis sat at the head, Adrian to his right, and four investors—leaning forward in Eames chairs—lined the opposite side. A glass carafe of still water stood ready, alongside neat notepads and digital tablets.

"Let's begin," Yiannis said, his voice smooth and assured.

The investors straightened their posture. A fresh PowerPoint slide clicked into view on the wall screen: "Q2 Growth & Strategic Acquisitions."

For the next fifteen minutes, Yiannis guided them through revenue charts, projected cost savings, and potential startup targets. He exuded confidence—each well‑measured word, each precise statistic broadcast the message: I know exactly what I'm doing.

Adrian watched the investors' faces closely. When Yiannis emphasized the leverage ratio and addressed a skeptical question about integration timelines, Adrian offered a subtle nod of reinforcement. Yiannis smiled ever so slightly, then shifted back to the slides.

Halfway through, his phone—resting face‑up on the table—began to vibrate. A small green icon pulsed in the corner of the phone: Milly is calling.

Yiannis swallowed. He hadn't spoken to her since yesterday. He was dreading the conversation. His finger itched, but he couldn't look away from the investors. He tapped his watch to silence the call. The vibration stilled.

"It's a promising pipeline," he concluded, clicking to the final slide: "Projected 18‑Month ROI: 35%." He locked eyes with each investor. "Questions?"

One litigator‑turned‑angel investor leaned forward. "Your integration cost projections are rosy, Mr. Kyrkos. What contingencies do you have if those acquired teams—"

Adrian interrupted quietly, "We've included a 12% operational buffer and targeted overlapping roles for consolidation."

The investor nodded and scribbled on their tablet. The meeting pressed on.

Yiannis fingers drummed the tabletop, mind half‑elsewhere. He thought of Katie—her vulnerability in that bathroom stall, the way she'd sounded when she first called Milly, crying. The memory was fresh, a tremor beneath his control. He'd protected her and wondered if she was okay.

He knew Callahan had already apologized to her. He wouldn't dare disobey him, but he was still worried about her.

Another vibration. Milly is calling again. This time it was a video call. He glanced at Adrian, who caught his eye and gave the merest lift of an eyebrow. Yiannis pulse quickened.

"Mr. Kyrkos?" the senior partner asked, pausing mid‑question.

"I apologize," Yannis said, tapping his phone. Unexpected urgent matter. I'll be right back."

He stood, smooth but tense, and pressed Accept. Instantly, Milly's face—bright in soft daylight—filled the small screen. She held a brownie in one hand, the other hand was twisting at her silk robe belt. Her background was a room he had grown familiar to. Milly's apartment.

"Yiannis, hi!" she whispered. "You're still in a meeting?". She slurred. She was high or drunk. He couldn't tell.

He gave a curt nod. Behind him, the investors whispered among themselves.

Yiannis cleared his throat. "Can we talk later?" I will be done in an hour".

Milly's eyes flicked to his surroundings. "I... I just wanted to ask.... "Did you threaten Katie's boss and force him to resign?".

He winced at her question. "Milly, please—"

"No." She raised a finger. "Listen." She told me everything this morning. About Callahan. And I know only you... you can do that. You went and shut him down. "Yannis, that was incredible." She beamed.

Yannis shut his eyes briefly. "You are not upset?"

"Why would I be upset? You helped my bestie. My sister. That is like helping me". Milly forced a laugh. "You're... something else."

He inhaled slowly. "Milly, I need to get back to this meeting."

She bit her lip. "Okay. But I just... wanted you to know. I love you. And I love that you care so much for me and the people around me."

The words—intimate, earnest—pounded through him. He opened his mouth, then closed it.

"I..." he finally said. "That's fine".

In that fraction of a second, Yiannis saw a flash of movement behind her: a petit, pale shoulder emerging from the steam, wrapped in a yellow Winnie the Pooh towel. Long, semi-wet hair slid off her neck. It was Katie—fresh from the shower, unaware her silhouette was on camera.

His breath caught. He reflexively glanced back at the investors, who were busy discussing among themselves. Yiannis focus snapped back to Milly. "Milly..." he began, voice unsteady.

Yannis clicked Mute on his phone, heart pounding. The room felt suddenly claustrophobic as he watched Milly take another bite from her brownie, unaware she was showing him something he only dreamed about. Yiannis could see the damp towel edge slipping lower as Katie grabbed a dry towel from the rack in the bathroom.

He forced himself to unmute. "Apologies." His voice was measured again. "A technical glitch. Please, continue."

Milly bit her lip, then smiled. "I'm sorry, I know you are very busy. I just wanted to thank you".

Yannis exhaled, steadying himself. "Milly, that's fine, let's talk later". He said and ended the call. He gave the investors a quick, apologetic nod. "Let's resume."

The senior partner cleared his throat. "Mr. Kyrkos, if we may return to staffing transitions—"

Yannis sank into his chair, a paper‑thin smile in place. "Of course. To mitigate integration risk, we're implementing a three‑phase approach..." His words resumed their familiar cadence, but his mind was spinning.

He couldn't unsee Katie's silhouette: the curve of her neck, the damp towel pressed to her skin, the way her shoulders rose in a slight shiver. He replayed it even as he laid out the acquisition timeline. Investors nodded along, but Yiannis was somewhere else entirely—caught between embarrassment, concern, and a fierce protectiveness that thrummed beneath his suit.

Adrian slid a data sheet across the table. "Answer any questions, boss?" he murmured, sensing Yiannis distraction.

"Please," Yannis said, gesturing to the senior partner. "Your question?"

The investor asked about governance structures in the acquired entities. Yiannis nodded, and answered crisply. Each acknowledgment was precise, each detail bullet‑proof. But behind every statistic, his thoughts lurked on Katie in that doorway—vulnerable, trusting, completely unaware of the eyes on her. He suddenly felt guilty for seeing her like that.

When the meeting finally closed an hour later—with handshakes and tentative smiles—Yiannis signaled Adrian. They walked down the corridor together, the investors trailing off into the lobby behind them.

As they walked, the memory of Milly's gratitude and Katie's almost naked body hovered beneath his calm exterior. In that moment, he realized the collision of his two worlds—was inevitable. And that every decision he made from here on would be shadowed by both loyalty and desire, power and guilt.

Adrian lowered his voice. "You okay?"

Yiannis paused in the hallway's soft lighting. "I saw her, in a towel".

Adrian frowned. "You mean—Katie?."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't mean to see her." His words were quieter than intended. But I did. I should have looked away, but I couldn't".

Adrian's posture softened. "You need to get a grip on yourself Yiannis. The man I know has never lost control. This is not good".

Yannis exhaled. "Im really loosing it brother and it's two weeks to my wedding". His voice trembled slightly.

Adrian nodded slowly. "You need to stay away from her. Tell Milly to get a new maid of honor if possible".

Yannis shook his head. "This is too much." He ran a hand through his hair. "I have to be careful. With Milly. With my reputation. With—everything."

Adrian rested a hand on his shoulder. "You'll figure it out. You always do."

They exited into the bright afternoon lobby, leaving the boardroom's tension behind. But both men knew the collision of personal and professional worlds had only just begun—and that Yiannis' path forward would be anything but clean.