Scott walked

rk blue suit, looking as sharp and focused

by girl," he

e replied quietly

he table and looked

't sleep,

e said, not me

from her and poured himself a cup of coffee

nce last night. You didn't

d. "I just

"You've been to many of these events. Last ni

iet for a

d sat beside her. "Was t

not meeting his eyes.

quiet the moment you came back from

, then gave a

rrowed slig

dn't a

here," he said, wa

froze on

y spoke. Considering the histo

she wanted the convers

r. "Still, you looked... uneasy. Did that b

ad, look her dad in the eyes, assuring him that he did nothin

His father and I have been enemies for years. The

ured, her eyes fal

worked too hard to let anything be between you tw

d, Dad," she

suit. "I've got a meeting to attend,

, you know I always want the best for you, right? And I

d faintly

er a nod,

s pen

d, shirtless, elbows resting o

ll, not because of

ke it hurt to speak it. She had barely looked at him, but that brief conversation in the hallway... had

lls, but he ignored them. For once, he didn't care about contracts or repo

eautiful, like time hadn't touched her; that urge to touch her came rushing back, a

arply beside him, b

, voice low and

stant. "TX & Co representatives just arrived at the comp

wasn't expecting th

said they were passing through, an

ere in an hour. Bring them coffe

s,

s he moved toward the bathroom, grabbed his razor lo

and through his hair to set it back. He grabbed his briefcase, stepped

engine running. Elio slid into the back sea

the receptionist at the company gave him a polite smile

They are waiting i

nod. "Coffee. Bl

tening his cuffs. His mind was still clouded,

ood as he walked in. The elde

od to finally meet you in person. I'm Gerald Lan

t to the point then, Mr. Lane.

d to your mother. She said she will info

about it but she hasn't inf

about it in a meeting we attended together yesterday. S

let me see t

the proposal for the Green

he neatly bound document,

soft against the floor, holdin

tly, setting it beside him, dark

nod without lookin

d just as

eyes still on

ar, detailed, and well-researched, numbers added up

a pause, "and you've clearly done your

sn't deal with guesswork, and we believe we're

y, leaned back, and nodded

ald stood to shake his hand. "Thank y

t," Elio said, c

the TX team. They exchanged a few last words and

rwork by noon," Elio said

it," Mr. Gerald repl

, Elio turned, adjusting his cuffs, and

stant, James approached

eam is ready for your 11 a.m. briefing, and Mrs. W

eyebrow. "About

dn't say anything di

deal eventually." Elio repli

a small nod

and commanding. The skyline framed the

a moment, the door clo

.. was still

fingers tapping lightly on the a

in, holding

ir. And your next meeting starts in ten minute

lder without loo

leave, Elio's phone

um

ly, picked it u

m but firm voice. "I heard TX cor

calmly. "You didn't men

he guts to show up prepared. A

repared. So I gave

ort

ew you'd see what I saw. They're solid

t was because we've ta

ike surprises, but you handle

chuckle. "An

se, and then he

ella attended the

nged slightly. He clo

e d

ou two

er... I don't want to ta

gently. "I just wo

ng," he said, a

go. Talk lat

ust as James

ll is re

voice low "

ranch. The time difference meant it was already evening there, and the team was eager for

tial challenges. Elio listened attentively, offering insights and making quick decisions. Despit

ents. "Sir, your next meeting is in ten minutes," he informed Elio. Nod

ttention, yet Isabella's face kept appearing in his thoughts. By late afternoon, Elio felt the

abella, Elio finally wrapped things up. He stood in his office, staring out at the city sky

"Tell my chauffeur he can head h

assistant replied, "Yes, sir. Wi

arage beneath E.I Enterprise. He reached for his keys, opened the car door, slid into

tered into the GPS.

knew where

, and for a moment, the silence of being alone in his car felt like a small relief. But then her face came

hrough his hair

't he just

frequent, discreet enough to avoid attention, Elio park

iquor and rich perfume greeted him like a familiar memory. One of the c

id, giving a small n