Chapter 175
Chapter 175
Alexander
159 Voucher
I stared at the financial reports on my desk, trying to focus. We’d signed several new clients this quarter, our stock was up thirteen percent, and the Thompson Hotels rebranding was going better than expected. All things that should have me in a great mood.
But my mind kept drifting to Olivia, specifically to Olivia and James Westbrook.
My phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. Straightening in my chair, I reached for it.
“Alexander Carter speaking.”
“Mr. Carter, it’s Nathan Reeves from Hudson Development.” The man’s voice came through crisp and urgent. “I apologize for the short notice, but we need to move our meeting forward. We’ve just received another offer on the property.”
I checked my calendar. The meeting was scheduled for tomorrow.
“I see. How urgent is this?”
“Very. The other party is pressing for an immediate decision,” Nathan explained. “If you could come to our offices in the next hour, we’d greatly appreciate it.”
Running through my schedule mentally, I nodded to myself. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Wonderful! Thank you, Mr. Carter.”
I hung up and pressed the intercom. “Jessica, I need you in here.”
My office door opened seconds later. Jessica appeared, tablet already in hand. “Yes, Mr. Carter?”
“Hudson Development has moved our meeting up. We need to leave now. Can you clear my schedule for the next two hours?”
Jessica’s fingers danced across her tablet. “Already done. The car is waiting downstairs.”
I grabbed my suit jacket. “You’re too efficient, Jessica. It’s almost scary.”
“I try my best, sir.” A small smile played at her lips. “I’ve already emailed the latest property valuations to your phone and alerted legal that we may need them on standby.”
“Perfect. Let’s go.”
We headed toward the elevator, walking briskly through the main office area. As we passed the glass–walled conference room, I caught sight of Olivia leading a meeting.
She stood at the head of the table, gesturing at something on the screen behind her. Even from this distance, I could see the passion in her movements, the way she commanded the room’s attention. Her hair was pulled
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back in a sleek ponytail, accentuating the elegant curve of her neck.
My steps slowed involuntarily.
Olivia leaned forward to point at something in the presentation, and I couldn’t help but admire how confident she looked. Her face animated with excitement as she spoke, engaging everyone around the table. One of the executives said something, and she laughed, the sound visible in the way her shoulders shook slightly.
She was magnificent. Not just beautiful, but powerful in her element. Watching her work, seeing her intelligence and creativity on display, stirred something in me beyond mere physical attraction
“Mr. Carter?” Jessica’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“Coming.” I said, tearing my gaze away from Olivia.
In the elevator, Jessica briefed me on the Hudson Development deal. I nodded along, absorbing the information while part of my mind remained back in that conference room with Olivia.
The car was waiting as promised. As we slid into the backseat, I nodded to the driver.
I leaned back against the leather seat, my thoughts drifting as the city passed by outside the window. Last night’s scene at O’Malley’s kept replaying in my mind.
How had James Westbrook happened to be there at exactly the right moment? The timing was too perfect.
I’d been dating Samantha Watson back in college when James decided he wanted her too. He’d spent weeks subtly undermining me, showing up whenever we were together, offering her “help” with assignments, and conveniently appearing at parties. Eventually, he convinced her I was cheating, and she broke up with me. A week later, they were dating.
And now here was James, suddenly appearing in a parking lot just when Olivia needed help.
Was it just a coincidence? Or was history repeating itself?
The security team had called me immediately when that asshole Ryan had confronted Olivia. I’d dropped everything and raced over, but James had somehow beaten me there. How did he even know she was at O’Malley’s? Was he following her?
My jaw clenched at the thought. The idea of James watching Olivia, waiting for an opportunity to swoop in and play hero, made my blood boil.
If he thought he could pull the same stunt with Olivia that he’d pulled with Samantha, he was sorely mistaken. Olivia wasn’t some college girlfriend. She was my wife.
My wife.
The words echoed strangely in my head. This marriage had started as a business arrangement, a means to an end. Sign some papers, share some space, secure my inheritance. Simple, clean, efficient.
But something had shifted. Somewhere between our wedding day and now, Olivia had become more than
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just a signature on a contract. The way she challenged me, her quick wit, determination, and resilience… she was unlike anyone I’d ever met.
And the chemistry between us was undeniable. Every touch, every kiss sent electricity coursing through me. The nights we spent together were increasingly addictive.
I found myself seeking her out, looking forward to our conversations, enjoying the simple pleasure of watching her read in the evening or hum to herself as she made coffee in the morning.
Was this part of the arrangement? This growing warmth whenever I thought of her? This fierce protectiveness I felt at the idea of James Westbrook circling her?
“Mr. Carter, we’re five minutes out,” Jessica announced, interrupting my thoughts.
I straightened, pushing thoughts of Olivia and James aside. “Thank you, Jessica. Let’s focus on securing this property.”
“Of course. Based on our research, I think we should lead with the urban renewal angle. The neighborhood development plan will appeal to their sense of legacy.”
“Good thinking. We’ll emphasize community investment in addition to the financial offer.”
The car pulled up in front of the Hudson Development building, a sleek glass tower in downtown Los Angeles. I pushed all personal thoughts away, switching fully into business mode.
“Let’s go get this property,” I said to Jessica, stepping out of the car.
When we arrived, the meeting room was already full. Nathan Reeves greeted us warmly and introduced his team of executives and lawyers.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Mr. Carter,” Nathan said, gesturing for me to take a seat. “As I mentioned, we’ve received another compelling offer for the Westside properties.”
“I appreciate you giving us the opportunity to respond,” I replied smoothly. “Carter Enterprises has a strong vision for those properties that I believe aligns perfectly with Hudson’s legacy of responsible development.”
For the next hour, I outlined our plans for the properties, a mixed–use development combining retail space, luxury condominiums, and a public garden. Jessica provided supporting data demonstrating the financial projections and community benefits.
“The key difference in our proposal,” I explained, pulling up the architectural renderings, “is the preservation of the historic Taylor Building while modernizing its infrastructure. This maintains the neighborhood’s character while creating state–of–the–art facilities.”
Nathan nodded, visibly impressed. “And your timeline for completion?”
“Three years from breaking ground, with the first phase completed within eighteen months.”
“That’s ambitious,” one of the executives commented.
“Carter Enterprises has never missed a construction deadline,” I countered. “We have the resources and
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expertise to ensure timely delivery.”
By the time we finished our presentation, the energy in the room had shifted noticeably. What had started as a courtesy meeting had transformed into a genuine interest.
“This is extremely compelling, Mr. Carter,” Nathan said. “I believe I speak for the entire board when I say we’re very impressed with your vision.”
“Thank you. We’re committed to creating something special with these properties.”
“We’ll need to review the details, of course, but I’m optimistic we can move forward together. Can you the formal offer documents prepared by tomorrow?”
“They’ll be on your desk by nine AM,” I promised, standing to shake his hand.
have
As we left the Hudson offices, I felt the familiar rush of a successful negotiation. Another deal all but secured for Carter Enterprises.
“That went very well,” Jessica remarked as we headed back to the car.
“It did. Make sure legal expedites those documents. I want this locked down before their other bidder can counter.”
“Already texted them. They’re starting now.”
In the car, I loosened my tie slightly.
As we merged into traffic, my mind immediately returned to thoughts of Olivia and James. The brief distraction of the meeting had only temporarily pushed them aside.
What was James’s game? Was he genuinely interested in Olivia? Or was this another move in our lifelong competition?
Either way, I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
AD
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