Chapter 21
Lena's POV
By the time the meeting ended, it was nearly noon.
I found Rachel in the hallway and handed her a document list. "Contact Hartwell's legal department to follow up on these materials. Also, I need background checks on those board members—particularly their relationship with Wells."
"Got it." Rachel took the list, then hesitated. "Lena, maybe you should rest? You haven't slept much since last night."
"I'm fine." I checked my watch. "Go ahead."
Rachel had barely left when Nora appeared.
"Lena." She approached with a smile. "That meeting—you handled it brilliantly. Very professional."
"Thank you."
"I was thinking, since the investigation will take a few days, maybe we could relax a bit?" She tilted her head. "I know Oakridge pretty well. There are some great restaurants. Want to go out tonight?"
I was about to decline when Rowan emerged from the conference room.
Nora immediately turned. "Rowan, I was just telling Lena—why don't we all go to dinner tonight?"
Rowan glanced at me.
I met his gaze with no expression.
"Another time," he said. "I have work tonight."
"Such a workaholic." Nora laughed and looped her arm through his. "Then just the two of us. Come on, I already have a reservation."
She pulled him toward the elevator.
He didn't pull away.
I stood there and watched the elevator doors close.
Rachel returned with coffee. "Boss, Wells' assistant just said their CFO wants to meet with us tomorrow. Voluntarily."
"Good. Schedule it at the hotel conference room."
"Also..." Rachel lowered her voice. "I really don't get Ms. Kane. She didn't say a word in the meeting, but she's great at planning social activities."
I took a sip of coffee.
"Focus on work," I said. "Don't worry about the rest."
Rachel pursed her lips but said nothing more.
Back in my hotel room, I opened my laptop and began drafting tomorrow's meeting outline.
Outside the window, Oakridge's night stretched out below. A quieter city than Silverton, with sparse foot traffic and dim streetlights.
I stared at the screen, but the image of Nora's arm linked through Rowan's kept replaying in my mind.
I forced myself to refocus and continued typing.
---
Rowan's POV
The music restaurant sat in Oakridge's old quarter, decorated in vintage jazz style.
Nora clearly knew the place well. She greeted the server by name and requested a window seat.
"I used to come here all the time during my internship." She settled into her chair. "The steak is excellent."
"Mm." I opened the menu but couldn't focus on it.
My phone buzzed repeatedly. Work emails from Jack, documents needing signatures.
"Sorry." I looked up. "I need to handle some things."
"No problem." Nora smiled. "Take your time."
While I responded to emails, Nora ordered for both of us. Two steaks and a bottle of red wine.
"Rowan." She spoke suddenly. "Am I interfering with your and Lena's work?"
"No." I set down my phone. "Why would you think that?"
"I just wondered..." She bit her lip. "Would Lena be upset that you're here with me?"
I paused, then gave a brief, humorless laugh.
"She wouldn't care."
Something flickered in Nora's eyes before disappearing. "That's good. I don't want to make things difficult for you."
I didn't respond.
When the steaks arrived, my phone rang again.
"Excuse me, I need to take this."
I stepped outside. Colin.
"What is it?"
"Well, well, busy man." Colin's voice carried amusement. "Emergency business trip and you still have time for dinner dates?" Clearly, he heard the background music.
"Get to the point."
"Fine, fine." He cleared his throat. "That Hartwell thing you asked me to look into—I found something."
I straightened. "Go on."
"The CFO and those two board members definitely made suspicious trades last quarter. But I don't think they're the real players behind this." Colin paused. "I think it's Wells himself."
"Evidence?"
"Still working on it. But there are several money flows that bypassed normal financial approval processes."
"Send me the report."
"Send it to you?" Colin laughed. "Why go through you? I could send it straight to your wife. Unless you're afraid she'll rat you out?"
"Colin."
"Kidding, kidding." He chuckled. "But seriously, did you think this through? Putting your ex and your current wife on the same project, same business trip. You trying to experience hell firsthand?"
"Shut up. Send the report to Lena."
"Yes sir, Mr. Reynolds." He hung up.
I stood outside the restaurant, looking at the warm light spilling through the windows.
Inside, Nora was checking her phone, her profile soft in the candlelight.
I thought about what she'd said earlier—"Would Lena be upset that you're here with me?"
No.
She wouldn't be upset.
Because she didn't care at all.
I pushed the door open and went back inside.
---
It was nearly 8:30 PM by the time we finished dinner.
I settled the bill while Nora waited by the restaurant entrance. A light rain had started outside. She hadn't brought an umbrella.
"I called a car," I said.
"Thank you." She followed me out.
The drive was short—ten minutes to the hotel. The elevator was quiet, only the floor numbers clicking upward.
"Today was exhausting," Nora said softly. "This kind of case... the pressure is intense."
I didn't respond.
The elevator stopped on the twelfth floor. Nora's room was on this level. I held the door open, waiting for her to exit.
She walked to her door, then hesitated as she raised her keycard.
"Rowan." She turned back. "I'm... a little scared to be alone."
I looked at her.
"Could you stay for a bit?" She bit her lip. "Just for a little while."
I was silent for a few seconds.
"I have work to handle," I said.
"You could work here." She spoke quickly. "I won't disturb you."
I nodded anyway. "I'll have Jack bring my laptop."