Nicholas POV
Just then, someone walked into the conference room, and the instant our eyes locked, a deep frown appeared on my face. "What are you doing here?" I asked Ethan, who wore a smirk on his face.
"It's nice to see you again, Nicholas," Ethan replied, his words laced with a hint of mischief and a touch of tension.
"You two know each other?" Mr. Benjamin asked as Ethan and I gazed at each other intently.
"Yes, Mr. Benjamin. We do," Ethan uttered with a happy smile on his face.
"Well, that's great news. This meeting wouldn't be hard after all," Mr. Benjamin said with a happy expression.
I clenched my fists under the table, my nails digging into my palms. Ethan was the last person I wanted to see today.
"Nicholas," Mr. Benjamin continued, "Ethan is here to discuss the merger. His company is very interested in partnering with us, and given our history together, I thought it would be beneficial."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine. "Yes, Nicholas and I haven't worked together, but I hope we work soon," he said, his tone deceptively light.
I forced myself to take a deep breath and then spoke as calmly as I could manage. "I don't think this meeting should continue."
Mr. Paul, who was engrossed in the paper before him, instantly averted his gaze to me and looked confused. "Why not, Nicholas? Ethan's company has a lot to offer. This merger could be very beneficial for us."
Ethan's smirk grew wider, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Come on, Nicholas. This will yield good profit after all."
I looked at Uncle Karl, who seemed genuinely puzzled. He had no idea about the connection between Monica and Ethan, and I couldn't blame him; it wasn't something I advertised. But the thought of working with Ethan again was not negotiable.
"Ethan and I have... unresolved issues," I said finally, choosing my words carefully.
Mr. Benjamin frowned. "Unresolved issues? Can they not be set aside for the good of the company?"
Ethan chuckled "Nicholas, please do you mind explaining the issue we both have with each other? Surely we can be professional about this."
I shot him a glare. "I'm not answering to you, Ethan. I'm no longer interested in this contract, and that's final."
Mr. Benjamin's frown deepened. "Is there something I should know about Mr. Ethan?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but Ethan beat me to it. "It's nothing, Mr. Benjamin, but I assure you, I'm here with the best intentions."
"Good intentions? I doubt," I chuckled as I responded to Ethan's statement.
Ethan's eyes hardened, his smirk fading. "Yes, Nicholas, I'm here with good intentions. Now, can we get on with this meeting, or do you need more time to think?"
I took a deep breath, struggling to maintain my composure. "Fine. Let's get this over with. I'm not going ahead with this meeting, and that's final. It was nice having you, Mr. Ethan, at our company, and I look forward to future contracts with you."
"What! Are you out of your mind, Nicholas? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you realize what you're about to lose?" Mr. John rose to his feet as he said in anger, and I kept quiet to think twice about this decision.
My mind wandered back to Monica, and I found myself worried about her well-being. Signing this contract with Ethan's company would mean seeing more of Ethan, and that could blow up our secret. I had been working for months to get Sterlings Group to have a contract with us, but now that it was finally here, I knew that it would just be better if I didn't go ahead with it.
"Nicholas?" Mr. Benjamin's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Say something and stop keeping us quiet."
I glanced at Ethan, who was watching me with a smug expression. "I'm still standing on my words," I said, my voice steady. "I don't want to cooperate with Sterling Group."
Mr. Paul's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Why don't you want to go ahead with the contract? This contract would very much benefit the company."
"I don't trust Ethan. He can't be trusted," I uttered the very first word that came to my mind. I didn't have any solid reason for refusing to go ahead with the contract, but Monica had enough reason not to go ahead with it, though I couldn't tell them that.
Ethan's expression darkened. "That's not a reason, Nicholas. We haven't worked together before, so what makes you think I can't be trusted?"
I shook my head. "I just can't go ahead with our reason for being here."
Mr. Benjamin looked disappointed as he stared daggers at me. "I can't believe my ears."
"I'm sorry about how everything turned out, but I'm standing on my words," I said finally. "The meeting is over."
Mr. Benjamin stormed out of the room, looking like a disappointed father. Soon all the directors walked out, but Uncle Karl remained.
I stood and walked out of the conference room, needing some air, and Uncle Karl followed me into the hallway.
"Nicholas," he called out softly. "Can we talk?"
I turned to face him, my anger still simmering just below the surface. "Yes, Uncle."
He sighed, his hands in his pocket. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"No, there isn't."
"Then why will you cancel a meeting and a contract we all worked hard to get?" I fell silent at his question. I had no response for him and I averted my gaze from his. He stepped closer, his expression earnest. "I hope you know what you're doing."
"I hope so too, Uncle," I responded sincerely. I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew signing that contract would bring Ethan closer to discovering Monica and me, and that isn't a show I'm ready for.
He nodded a look of understanding in his eyes. "Think carefully, son. Don't do anything stupid that you'll regret later," he uttered as he sighed, then walked away, leaving me standing there lost, sad, and exhausted.
As he walked away, I leaned against the wall, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. I hated Ethan for always showing up unexpectedly and ruining everything. His connection with Monica was affecting everything.
★★★★★
"Nicholas," a voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Monica herself standing in front of me. Her expression was one of concern. "I heard about the meeting. What happened?"
I glanced around to ensure no one heard us. "Ethan was at the office earlier today," I said, my voice low. "We were supposed to sign a contract that would benefit both his company and ours."
Her face paled. "But you didn't sign it because of our secret, right?"
"Yes," I replied, frustration evident in my voice.
Monica's eyes darted nervously. "What are we going to do?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I shut down the meeting. I can't work with him, Monica. It's too risky. He could find out about us."
She looked relieved but also worried. "But what about the company? This contract was important, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was," I admitted. "But not as important as making sure no one knew that we were deceiving them."
Monica's hand found mine, squeezing it gently, and my heart tugged at the warmth my hands felt. "I know this isn't easy."
"Of course, this isn't easy?" I scoffed. "Nothing about this is easy. I just lost a three-month contract I've been working on. The board directors are pissed and probably talking about how stupid I am," I said as I relaxed more on the sofa and sighed, closing my eyes in exhaustion.
"But we're doing this for a reason. Always bear that in mind. I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. If you hadn't signed that contract with me, you wouldn't have to cancel your contract with Ethan."
I opened my eyes and looked at her blue, mesmerizing eyes, which had me glued to them. "Can I hug you?" I asked, and I could see her eyes widening in shock. I knew this was a huge request but right now, I need a hug. I needed to feel that someone was with me and not against me.
"Are you sure? Is that okay with you?" she said, but I just pulled her to myself and hugged her tightly.
She melted into the embrace, her warmth calming my nerves. "Thank you, Nicholas," she whispered, her voice calm and soothing. I held her tighter, feeling the weight of the world lift off my shoulders, if only for a moment. She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at me, her eyes filled with gratitude and something deeper.
I nodded. "I hope so."
We stayed like that for a few precious moments as I drew strength from her but I soon let her go because I began thinking naughty things about her lips. Letting her go made me lose the feeling of her warmth immediately.