Chapter 200: It Takes Two

Holly’s POV

The drive to the café stretched longer than usual, the hum of the tires syncing with the storm raging in my head. Every humiliation David had stacked on me replayed like shards of glass against my ribs.

Fine. Let him keep pushing. Let him keep playing his little god game at work. I’d make him kneel when it mattered.

This café wasn’t just any café. It was his favorite café, the one tucked far away from the office, quiet enough to think and pretty enough to pretend life wasn’t all teeth and claws.

The plan was already forming…deny him what he craves. Two weeks…two intoxicating, consuming weeks…and David hasn’t touched another woman. Candy made sure of that.

He only aches for me now, only starves for me. And I’ll starve him back. Let him squirm.

Kayla keeps telling me to quit. She sees the exhaustion stamped into my skin, the dark circles under my eyes from the late nights he forces on me. But quitting isn’t my style. No, I want him to burn in his own game.

I was still lost in that thought when I slammed into somebody just outside the café doors. My purse slipped, scattering its contents.

“Watch it,” I snapped, crouching.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” The man bent too, his hand brushing mine, and…crack…our heads collided.

“Ouch,” I hissed, my patience splintering. “What is your problem?”

Then I looked up.

And froze.

He was tall. Not David-tall, but striking enough that for a second, the breath caught in my throat. His jaw was carved, clean, his mouth sharp in that dangerously perfect way, and his eyes…hazel-green, bright even in the morning gloom…watched me like he’d never seen someone so infuriating yet worth stopping for.

“Sorry,” he whispered again, softer now, retreating a step. “Today’s not my day.”

Something in the way he said it snagged me. Broken, raw. Like maybe the universe had decided to spit him out the same way it had me.

“I know right?” I murmured before I could stop myself. “Not mine either.”

And just like that, we talked. Simple. Easy. Odd. I don’t do easy with men…but with him, it wasn't an effort.

I found out we had a lot in common. Just like me he’d left his family back home, starting fresh here, building his company from scratch. A self-made man in a new country. Not my exact story. I did leave my family to chase my dreams. Just that my dream happened to be David Hunt, not some career path.

We laughed. Actually laughed.

When he offered his hand, I took it. “Tyler Warren,” he said.

“Holly Rodriguez.”

We shook, firm and warm, though I reminded myself…handsome or not, he wasn’t David. He could never be David. My obsession didn’t leave room for anyone else.

He helped me load the drink trays into my car, his hand brushing mine once before we said goodbye and exchanged numbers.

Only when I slid behind the wheel did I see my phone glowing. Five missed calls. Amber.

“Hey Siri,” I muttered, my phone already synced to the car. “Call Amber PA.”

The line clicked.

“Holly!” Amber’s voice blasted through the speakers. “Where the hell are you? Mr David’s pissed…you’ve been gone forever. He told me to tell you if you’re so tired of this job, just quit and don’t bother coming back!”

I giggled into the receiver, sighing out loud. “In his dreams. Tell him I’m on my way, Amber.”

She groaned. “Girl, I’m telling you…quit while you can. No job is worth what he’s been making you go through.”

“Maybe not,” I whispered as I pulled onto the street. “But this isn’t just a job. It’s my dream.”

She sighed, obviously tired of me as well. “Just hurry up, please,” she added and we hung up.

By the time I got to the office, Amber practically sprinted toward me, grabbing half the drinks before they spilled. Together, we marched toward the meeting room. I would love to see what he will do.

The second I pushed open the doors, David’s voice cracked through the air.

“Finally.” His tone was molten with disdain, pitched high enough for every client in the room to hear. “Tell me, hasn’t it been nearly half an hour since I sent her to get coffee? If you can’t perform such a simple task, you might as well just quit already.”

A ripple of approval passed through the suits around the table like they were passing a verdict.

So this is the game he wants to play? Drive me out in front of clients, make me look small, inadequate?

Please. What a joke. If he wants a dance, I’ll give him one. And trust me…it's always sweeter when two are leading the dance.

I set the trays down, but before his smirk could land the way he wanted it to, my eyes welled. Tears. My oldest, sharpest weapon.

The room hushed as soft sobs spilled from me, fragile, trembling.

“I—I’m sorry I took so long,” I whispered, clutching my bandaged elbow and raising it for the room to see. “I fell on my way out earlier. Tripped because of you, Mr. David.” My voice broke. “I had to stop at a pharmacy to get the wound cleaned…”

I pointed to my knee next, showing off the second bandage Kayla had wrapped for me yesterday. Well I did get that one too because of him. But that was from straddling him for long on the floor last night.

“I bled through my stockings, but I didn’t want to let you down. I always try not to let you down, Mr David.”

Whispers sparked around the table. A few of the men shifted uncomfortably.

“Why are you so hard on me?” I cried, clutching my chest as I faked a panic attack. “All I do is try to help, try to do my job but it’s never enough…”

Norman cleared his throat, his brows furrowed. “Holly, calm down. I’ll handle this…”

“No!” My voice cracked like thunder. “Let me finish. I’ve done everything to please you, Mr. David, everything. And if you don’t want me here…” My hand slammed my employee card onto the desk. “Then I quit! I hope you treat the next person better than you treated me!”

The silence was deafening. Clients stared, lips pressed in disapproval, a few muttering under their breath.

David’s smirk stayed, but his eyes flickered, just barely, when he saw their angry faces.

Perfect.

Oh, David. You think you can push me out of this company that easily? Cute. Give it an hour…hell, give it a few minutes…and you’ll be the one begging me back, once the investors and clients start slipping through your fingers.

I turned on my heel, one step from leaving the room, when a voice cut across the room.

“Wait.”