Chapter 57
Damien POV
Cassandra wouldn’t stop talking.
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She went on and on, kept saying she was sorry, that this was completely her fault, and that she would explain everything to Julie-that it wasn’t what it looked like. But I was barely listening.
I just sat there, staring at my drink, unable to stop thinking about the way Julie looked at me or the way she said it was over.
She was really gone.
The one woman I had finally opened my heart to after Cassandra left me. The only person who made me feel like I wasn’t just another selfish bastard running a company. And now, she wanted nothing to do with me.
I scoffed; this felt so surreal.
“Damnit,” I muttered.
She was too good to let go of.
Ever since I met her, I’ve had the best moments of my life. And now, it took just a minute to ruin everything.
“Damien,” Cassandra called my name, then squeezed my hands, trying to reassure me.
“I will talk to her. I will tell her what she saw was a misunderstanding,” she said again.
I shook my head, unable to help but laugh at how silly it sounded. It clearly wasn’t going to work. I imagined how Cassandra would probably talk to Julie.
“Huh, I just wanted to explain to you that seeing me on top of Damien was a mistake. I just happened to fall on him, and he couldn’t let go of me, so… yeah,” I said, mimicking how she would explain it to her.
“So, do you think she would really want to listen to your explanation?” I asked.
She just sighed, took a big gulp of her drink, and emptied it.
She didn’t say anything else, and neither did I.
After a few minutes of staring at my glass, I pushed it away and stood up.
1/4
3:06 pm
Chapter 57
“Sitting here clearly isn’t solving anything.” I said as I walked out.
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I headed to my car, and as I got in, I saw it-the small, neatly wrapped box on the passenger
seat.
The gift I had bought for Julie.
I reached for it and held it, remembering how much time I had spent picking out this particular gift.
I scoffed at how excited I had been while looking for a gift for her.
It was all useless.
Because right now, she hated me.
I let out a sigh as I tossed the box onto the passenger seat.
It didn’t matter anymore.
Then my phone buzzed.
I grabbed it, hoping-stupidly-that it was Julie. But it wasn’t. It was a message from one of the investors: We are pulling out.
I called immediately. It rang twice before someone answered.
“What do you mean you’re pulling out?” I asked, gripping the phone tightly, hoping it wasn’t what I was thinking.
“The deal is off, Damien.”
“What? Why?”
“You know why,” he said. “We told you to work with Cassandra, not sleep with her for the whole world to see.”
This was really getting me into a lot of trouble.
“I didn’t sleep with her. It is a misunderstanding”
“Well, that’s not what the media thinks,” he snapped. “Your little elevator stunt is everywhere. Your company’s image is already on shaky ground-it was a risk for us to even partner with you-and now you’ve given the press another scandal. I can’t risk my company being dragged into this mess.”
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3:06 pm
Chapter 57
“I can fix this, just give me time.” I said.
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“Well, hurry up,” he said. “But until then, our deal is off, and a little compensation will be sent to you,” he added. And just like that, the call ended.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” I cursed over and over again, resting my head on the steering wheel.
Just when I thought I had finally gotten the company back on track, we were back to square one. The board members would surely eat me alive.
I needed to see how bad it was, how badly the press had painted this.
I opened the news, and there it was—my name everywhere.
“A billionaire CEO didn’t know where to have sex, so he chose the elevator.”
“From boardroom meetings to elevator escapades-Damien redefines business partnership.””
“Ex-husband and ex-wife reunite again in an elevator.”
“Investor pulls out after Damien’s latest scandal.”
I read through all their nasty headlines and comments.
And worst of all, pictures of the elevator scene were circulating on the internet, along with pictures of our business meetings, which were captured in a compromising way.
Then I saw a picture of Julie-a picture of her and me.
“Battle of the heart between Julie and Cassandra: Who will win?”
“What the fuck
This wasn’t just bad. This was a complete disaster-not just for me, but for Julie. How on earth had they managed to drag her into this?
I could already picture Julie reading these headlines, shaking her head, telling herself she had made the biggest mistake ever by meeting me.
It was all over. Everything was over-my relationship with Julie and also my company.
I had spent years building my reputation, trying to make a name for myself.
I screamed so loudly as I fought back the tears.
“Damnit,” I muttered. I barely had any solutions in my head.
3/4
3:07 pm
Chapter 57
This was over.
The worst part?
I wasn’t even angry at the investors. I wasn’t even angry at the press.
I was angry at myself.
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Because I knew better. I should have pushed Cassandra away the second she fell on me. Damn this claustrophobia.
I closed my eyes as I thought of what to do, how to fix it, how to make all this go away.
I sincerely had no idea.
And this made me hate myself even more.
I just wished today had never happened, or better still, that this was a nightmare. Because in just one day, I had lost everything—her, the investor, and probably my company.
(
ADI
3:07 pm
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy DaisyNovel. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.