The Winter Bride (TSBS-2) COMPLETED

Chapter Thirty-One

What you allow is what will continue.

— Anonymous

Neil Harris

I twirled the pen in my hand, unable to sign on the dotted line. Back at the office, but it was still hard to focus on anything.

"Neil?"

I shook my head, and dropped my chin on my palm, staring at Greg who in the midst of relaying past week's work report suddenly stopped to peer at my absentminded self.

"You okay?" With a concerned look, he sat up straight. "Things didn't go south in the meeting with the board of directors, right?"

Greg was two years older than me, and he had been in this company since my father's administration. Sometimes I thought he could had been a better choice at managing the business after Kate declined the offer, but I had to burden my dad's post. Moreover, he seemed to be satisfied with his current position.

I waved away his concern. "I took care of those old folks. They still love Dad, just wanted to make sure I was holding up. Plus, Kate was there with me like a shield."

"Good." With a broad smile, he stood, straightening his crisp shirt. "Now, if you could just sign that, I'll be on my way. I need to meet the people from D&D Oil Corp."

"Why are you meeting people from that petroleum corporation?"

"They are planning to build a refinery in Philadelphia so they want huge supply of steel." He grinned, spreading his arms around. "Of course, we got the most hardcore steels."

Signing the paper, I rolled my eyes at his habit of showing off our asset. Whether it was toward people inside the office or outside, he never failed to boast how hardcore we were.

"I thought they only worked in the Middle East."

Although people thought I did not keep up with the economy of this country, they forgot I was a businessman too, contributing a great deal to this country's economy, and I also knew others who were accompanying me in that. However, oil industrialists were a first for me.

Greg shrugged, taking the contract papers from me. "There's a new head. He wants to venture into local states. Quite ambitious, I must say, with a huge set of balls."

I snorted, holding in a chuckle. Greg respected men who took great risks to build up their revenue. "And, why are we dealing with this particular set of balls? I thought, we were doing fine with international clients, plus we got Sanders. Do we need to venture in too?"

He narrowed his eyes toward the foggy view of the city behind me as if he was foreshadowing a future crisis. "We can't always look outside the borders. We need dependency over here too. Sanders bring a great revenue, but I am sure, D&D would bring more." Then, he shifted those eyes to me as if I was a source of this future crisis. "Also, someone is planning to make us dirt poor. Buying then giving away shares left and right. I am not letting this business go bankrupt."

I squirmed in my seat, avoiding his stare. Clearing my throat, I swiped my hand and turned to my laptop, the dark screen taunting me. "I got work to do. You go and get that client. You can do it."

Greg started walked away, muttering. "I know damn well I can do it."

After he left, I checked the time on my watch and cursed out.

Should I go or not? What if it's a trap?

Last night, imagine my surprise when I got an unknown number calling me and ordered me to meet up today. It turned out, that chilling voice belonged to none other than Cynthia Davis. Shit, that woman knows how to get under the skin of men. She basically threatened to to have me abduct if I did not show up willingly.