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I nod as he walks out, biting the end of the fountain pen my brother bought me for my twenty-first birthday, wishing I’d done what he did, and walked away from Grandpa’s offer to become his heir and inherit the company.
I didn’t understand why Archer told me that working for Grandpa meant losing him, but I get it now. Grandpa has always been ruthless and demanding, but I hardly recognize him now. If Archer couldn’t meet his expectations, what chance do I stand?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a disappointment to Grandpa, courtesy of Zane Windsor. I’ve always been unfortunate enough to be in the same classes as him, and no matter how hard I tried, my best was always the equivalent of his bare minimum. For as long as I can remember, he’s taken such great joy in besting me at everything, and now he’ll get to experience that all over again, on a much larger scale this time.
I turn my desk chair and stare out the window, my thoughts drifting back to the gala. What is he playing at? It’s obvious he’s intent on messing with me the way he used to, but he’s crazy if he thinks I’ll take it the way I did in the past. I bite the pen harder as his words resound through my mind.
When I’ve got you on the brink of an orgasm, my name on your lips, I’ll make you eat those words before I make you beg for more. And you will. You’ll beg, just like you did that night.
I pull my pen away and grit my teeth in shame at the memory of prom night. For a few hours, I allowed myself to be as blinded as all the girls that have always surrounded him. The ones I always swore I’d never be like. It was a foolish decision that I live to regret.
I drop my head back against my chair and draw a shaky breath, tormented by my own mind. I should be focusing on the proposal I’m building, but instead, I’m thinking about the way he looked at me when I told him that night was a mistake.
He seemed hurt, even if it was only for a moment. That look he had on his face last weekend… was that how he looked at me when I told him to pretend it never happened? My memories are hazy, marred by my hatred. He’s always done this to me — occupied all my thoughts, though usually for vastly different reasons.
I carefully place my pen back in its holder before reshuffling my papers. Perhaps this was his goal… distract me so much that I can’t focus on the acquisition we’re competing for.
I wouldn’t put it past him.
ChapterFour
Celeste
“I think I’m cursed,” I tell Lily the moment I step into her kitchen.
She looks up from her laptop and slips out of the bar stool by the counter to offer me a hug, not at all surprised that I let myself in uninvited. “Is that so?” she asks, clearly trying her hardest to suppress an amused smile.
I nod and take a bottle of her favorite rosé out of my bag. She raises her brow when I hand it to her, but instead of questioning me, she pours me an extra full glass — just the way I like it.
“Yep,” I continue. “I’m definitely cursed. How else would you explain the fact that Zane Windsor, billionaire heir to Windsor Hotels, set his sights on the small Victorian inn I spentweekspreparing a proposal for? I didn’t tell asoul. Not even my grandfather knew until yesterday. My luck can’t be this rotten — it’s a curse, I’m sure of it.”
Lily bursts out laughing, and I narrow my eyes at her as I pull myself up on her kitchen counter, my legs dangling off the edge. “I’mserious,” I snap. “I already thought it was ominous that the first work event I had to attend since coming back was theWindsorannual gala. And now this?”
“Celeste, you arenotcursed. If anything, you’re one of the luckiest people I’ve ever met. If Zane is interested in that project, it’s probably because you managed to find a truly great investment opportunity, and he feels the same way. It’s kind of freaky how in-sync your minds always are — if you two ever stopped fighting and actually worked together, I bet you could make some miracles happen. Solve world hunger, or something.”
Pure outrage rushes through my body at the mere thought of working withZane, and it must show on my face, because Lily holds up her hands in surrender. “It was just a thought, aterriblethought that I’ll be discardingimmediately.”
“You’d better. This project was meant to be a new start for me — a way to show Grandpa that he didn’t make the wrong choice when he hired me. It was supposed to be an easy win, and it turned into yet another way for Zane to humiliate me. There’s no way I can win this proposal if he’s even remotely interested in the inn.” I bury a hand in my hair and sigh, frustrated. “I knew working for Grandpa would be tough, but I underestimated just how hard it’d be to be pitted against Zane again. How am I supposed to beat Windsor Hotels? We might be second to them, but the gap between us feels insurmountable.”
Lily sighs and tops up my wine glass. “You don’t have to bridge that gap instantly, Celeste. Slow and steady wins the race, right? I know your stubbornness won’t let you admit it, but you choosing a project he’s also interested in means you have the same vision, and that’s all that’s really set Harrison Developments and Windsor Hotels apart.”
I begin to protest, but she shuts me up with one of her signature expressions — her brow raised and a chastising look in her eyes. “The other factors aren’t as big as you think they are. Their existing partnerships won’t last forever, and when those contracts expire, you can offer better deals. Sure, it’s hard to beat the Windsor name, but don’t underestimate just how prestigious of a brand your family has built. It might take some time, but there’s no reason why you can’t surpass Windsor Hotels. Not just anyone could do it, sure, butyoucan.”
She tucks one of my curls behind my ear and smiles. “This isn’t about grades, Celeste. When it comes to relationship management and networking, you’ve always outdone Zane. He banks on his family name and his deep pockets, but you never have. Use that to your advantage. You might hate the guy, but no one knows him as well as you do. No one but you could predict his moves, so use every terrible memory he created and turn them into your ammunition.”
I blink, my thoughts whirling. “This is why I need you,” I tell her, my voice soft. “With you by my side, I might actually be able to do this. We could take on Windsor Hotels together, and Zane won’t stand a chance.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “About that,” she murmurs, her voice unsteady. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
My breath hitches as dread slowly takes root in the pit of my stomach. “What happened?” I ask, silently hoping that my suspicions are wrong.
“This morning, I received a rejection email from Harrison Developments.”
My heart sinks, and disappointment washes over me. Did Grandpa have a hand in this? I mentioned her application to him just yesterday.
“It’s okay,” Lily says, forcing a smile. “I knew there was a chance this might happen, so I’ve been applying to other firms too. This is not the end of the world. I’ll find something else. It’ll be okay.”
I grip the edge of her kitchen counter, my disappointment turning into anger. How could Grandpa do this? He knows she’s my best friend, and for years, he’s heard me talk about our plans to revolutionize the industry together.
