Chapter 141 Outbid

Chapter 141 Outbid
Elma's POV

"We're prepared to move forward at the number we discussed," I said, sliding the folder across the table toward Mr. Hendricks. "Twenty-two million, closing within thirty days and we cover the transition costs for your existing tenants so there's no disruption on their end."

Hendricks studied the folder for a moment, then looked up, his expression already told me this was as good as done. "That's a fair offer, Ms. Michael. Better than fair, honestly." He glanced at his lawyer, who gave a small nod. "I think we can move forward with this."

My heart did a happy dance, relief settling through me. Eight months of courting this deal, eight months of late nights pulling together financing structures that would actually convince a man who'd turned down three other buyers already, and it had finally paid off.
"I'll have my legal team draft the formal agreement by the end of day," I said, already reaching to close my laptop. “I c…”
The door to the conference room opened before I finished the sentence.

"Sorry I'm late." Adrian Cole strolled in like he'd been invited, which he hadn't, unbuttoning his jacket as he crossed to the table, an assistant trailing behind him with a folder of his own. "Traffic…you know how it is."
Hendricks blinked, caught off guard. "Mr. Cole, I wasn't aware you were joining us."
"I wasn't planning to." Adrian's eyes flicked to me, amusement sitting behind them.
My hands clenched into a fist under the table.
"But I heard you were finalizing something today, and I thought it'd be a shame to let a good property go for less than it's worth." He added.

"We already have an agreement in principle," I said, keeping my voice level despite the heat rising in my chest. "This negotiation is closed, Mr. Cole."
"Nothing's closed until signatures are on paper." He dropped into the empty chair across from Hendricks, sliding his own folder forward. "Twenty-six million….All cash, no financing contingencies, closing in fourteen days instead of thirty." He glanced at me, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "I imagine Ms. Michael’s offer didn't come with quite that kind of speed."

Hendricks opened the folder slowly. I watched his expression shift, weighing four million dollars and two extra weeks against whatever loyalty he'd built with me over the last eight months.
"That's a significant difference," Hendricks said slowly.
"It is," Adrian agreed.
"We can discuss adjusting our terms," I cut in, though I already knew what a scramble that would look like, thin and desperate in front of a man who'd just been handed a better offer on a silver platter.
"Mr. Hendricks, we've spent months building a structure that protects your tenants specifically. Mr. Cole's offer doesn't mention them at all."

"An oversight I'm happy to correct," Adrian said smoothly, without even glancing at his own paperwork. "We'll match whatever tenant protections she offered. Consider it added."
I stared at him and he met my eyes without a flicker of guilt like undercutting eight months of my work in front of the client was nothing more than an amusing way to spend his afternoon.
"You didn't even know the terms of my offer," I said.

His voice dropped. "I know you always protect the tenants. It's practically your signature move."
I glared at him. I hated him so much, why couldn't just let me be. I fought the urge to punch him in the face.
Hendricks cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable being caught in the middle of whatever this actually was. "I'll need some time to review both offers properly."

"Of course," Adrian said, standing, buttoning his jacket back up with the confidence of someone who already knew how this would end. "Take all the time you need." He glanced at me one last time before heading for the door. "Good seeing you again, Elma."

\------

I was out of my chair before the door had finished swinging shut behind him.

"Adrian." I caught up to him halfway down the hallway, my heels sneaking against the marble floor. "Adrian, stop."
He slowed, glancing back at me with that same infuriating calmness. I'm sure he was already expecting me to follow. "Elma…Something I can help you with?"
"You know exactly what you can help me with." I stopped in front of him, forcing him to either walk around me or actually face me and of course he chose to face me. "What are you doing?"

"Closing a deal." He shrugged casually. "Same as you were trying to do."
"You weren't even at the table an hour ago. You didn't know the terms, you didn't know the tenants, you didn't know anything about that deal until you walked in and started throwing numbers around just to take it out from under me."
"I know a good property when I see one." His eyes stayed on mine. "And I know a good opportunity when someone else has already done the work of making it look attractive."

"So you admit it. You waited until I'd done everything until Hendricks trusted the terms enough to actually consider them and then you swooped in to take the credit for it."
"I didn't take anything." He tilted his head. "I made a better offer. That's not a crime, Elma, that's business."
"It's not business, it's spite." I stepped closer, refusing to let him tower over the moment the way he clearly wanted to. "This is the third deal you've done this to me this year. The Ashford building, the warehouse district…Now this. You don't even want half of these properties, you just want them because I want them."

"That's a very specific accusation for someone who doesn't know what I want." He chuckled.
"Then tell me. Explain to me why a man with your portfolio needs to personally show up and outbid a mid-tier development deal that barely registers next to the rest of your holdings."

He didn't answer right away, he let the silence stretch, his eyes moving over my face like he was deciding how much to actually say.
"Maybe I like watching you fight for things," he said finally. "You're better when you're angry, more interesting."

I looked away, hiding the heat crawling up my neck.
"Stay away from my deals, Adrian." I whispered. "I mean it. Stop trying to ruin my company just because it amuses you."
"I'm not trying to ruin your company." He stepped closer. I tipped my head back to keep looking at him properly.
"If I wanted to ruin you, Elma, you'd already know."

"Then what is this?" I sighed, rubbing my temples. “What exactly do you gain from all these?”
"Competition." His mouth curved. "You should try losing gracefully sometime. It might suit you."
"I don't lose." I held his gaze, refusing to be the one who looked away first. "Not to you."
"We'll see." He straightened, the moment breaking as he stepped back, putting distance between us. "Good luck with Hendricks…. You'll need it."

He turned and walked away, and I stood there in the middle of the hallway, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
I stood there long after he'd turned the corner, my hands finally unclenching at my sides. "You want dirty?" I said under my breath, already pulling out my phone. "Fine, I can do dirty.”

Let's play………