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Posted by admin, ? Views, Released on November 15, 2024

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CHAPTER 14: We are not going to share the project

Alaia

We walked to the car. Ash stayed silent beside me until she received a message and got distracted. She got in first, and I followed. As the car started moving, I saw Nick and his cousin heading to their cars. The only thing I knew for sure was that I have no interest whatsoever in making sure Nick and his family benefit from this contract.

We entered the company building, and I asked Ignacio to meet with me. We’ll do a video call with my father and the board. We sat on the chairs in my office’s conference room while we

gathered everyone together.

“I just received Lander’s proposal. They’re informing us that we have to work with another company,” Darius was the first to speak.

“That’s right.” I nodded as I listened to them discuss the proposal. Only two of them wanted to keep the project solely in our hands, while my father, Darius, and the others agreed to share it

and they had no problem with that.

“What do you think, daughter?” my father asked, and everyone fell silent.

“I want the project to be ours, Dad. We still have an alternative. They could back out, and it

would be ours entirely,” I said and the others nodded in agreement.

“That would be perfect. Do it. For now, we’ll accept the current terms. We’ll send the signed

contract via express mail. Sign it when you receive it and do what’s necessary,” Darius said,

and the others showed their support.

“I will,” I replied. Everyone ended the call except for my father, whom I already miss.

“How are you, sweetheart? I called home and saw the kids.” He smiled warmly. I nodded,

returning his smile.

“I’m good, Dad.”

“Ashley, is that you?” he asked curiously when he saw her passing behind me.

“Tito!” she exclaimed cheerfully, coming back into the camera’s view.

“Why do you look like Tino?” My father leaned closer to the screen, his brows knitting together.

I found his reactions amusing.

“Uncle, I look gorgeous, don’t I? But you have to keep it a secret. You know what my father is

up to.”

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CHAPTER 14: We are not going t…

“I’d say you look quite handsome,” Dad said. We laughed at that. Daddy sighed. “Yes, dear, I know about your father, and I don’t agree with it.” My father frowned. “Whatever you’re doing, I support it. You can tell me all about it when I come to visit.”

“That’s why I love you, Tito!” she said sweetly. My father just laughed.

“I love you both. We’ll talk later. Go have lunch. I’m sure you haven’t eaten yet.”

“We will. I love you too, Dad. Rest well,” I said ay as we ended the call. I turned back to Ash.

Ignacio bade goodbye to us and left the office.

Ash settled on one of the couches, crossing her legs while silently watching me. I moved around the office; we’ll go home for lunch. Time with my kids is very precious to me. I turned to look at her, and I found her still watching me. I was sure something was going on.

“Well?” I said, crossing my arms. She shifted more comfortably on the couch.

“I’ve been thinking, thinking, and thinking.” She waved her hand repeatedly. “And say what you want, but that hottie who was at the meeting, that Garnett guy with the bad–boy look?” I bit my lip. She took a deep breath. “Well, my little darlings look a lot like him. Damn right, they do. Did you see how he frowned?” She stood and started pacing back and forth. “But then, I started thinking…” Oh, she has been thinking the whole day. “… what are the chances that he’s the sperm donor? No, no, no, life couldn’t be that cruel; he couldn’t just show up the day after you and the kids get to this city. Fate would be a real bastard,” she asserted, still pacing.

She was completely right, though; it was. I sighed. Wanting to clear up all her doubts, I grabbed her arms to make her stop. I made her look at me. She looked at me confusingly. I bit my lip and stared right into her eyes.

“It’s him, Ash. He’s the donor,” I said, finally confessing to her. I saw how her mouth dropped when I broke the news.

“That’s insane!” she reacted a few seconds later. I grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling onto the couch. I helped her sit down. “But what the hell, Ali? How are you going to work with that guy? He’ll want to see the kids and…”

“No, he won’t want to see them. He thinks I aborted them. He and his grandfather asked me to do it, and I made them believe I did, I clarified. Ash’s eyes widened.

And that was it. I gave up and told my cousin everything that happened to me before I moved

to the UK. The whole time, she was just in awe and angry at the same time. “What a bastard!” Ash looked for a bottle of water when I finished my story.

“He is. He’s a bastard,” I affirmed.

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CHAPTER 14: We are not going t…

“And you’re going to work with him,” my cousin stated angrily. I shook my head.

“No, dear, that’s just what I’ll make them believe. However, I’ll do everything in my power to push them out of the way. I’ll keep the project and the millions it represents,” I said confidently.

Ash looked at me with a smirk. “I’m with you, then.”

Nick

“It’s a good color for visiting the dead,” Alaia said. Now, I was more than certain it was her, and

that her words carried another meaning. My mind recalled her look; she was fiercer than

before, but it was her.

I was trying to get my head straight. It threw me off that she decided to show up after all

these years and now, I have to work with her. I couldn’t believe this was happening. There were

too many doubts in my mind. I quickly sent a text message and walked out of there with Will, who had taken a call from some girl, from what I could hear.

I got into my car. My mind was filled with so many thoughts. I arrived at my office feeling

irritated. I could feel a strong pain invading my head, causing me to massage my temple.

“Advil,” I said to Kathe as I entered my office, closing the door and sitting on my comfortable

office chair, with my eyes closed, and still rubbing my forehead.

“Say what you want, but Miss Russell looks a lot like the girl you married in college, the one you left behind for Barbie,” I heard Will while my eyes were still closed.

“It’s her,” I stated.

“Oh damn, no wonder she was looking at you like she wanted to kill you.” I heard him laugh. I

let out a grunt.

“Sir.” One of my employees entered my office.

“I’m listening.”

“Alaia Russell is the project director for T–World, an American telecommunications company. However, their main office is located in the UK. They have branches here in the country and work with some companies, but it’s in Europe that they are well–known. The head and owner of T–World is Darius Russell, followed by his son Patrick Russell, who is Miss Alaia Russell’s

father.”

I opened my eyes immediately.

“Excuse me?” Will’s mouth dropped open, unable to believe it as well.

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CHAPTER 14: We are not going t…

“Continue,” I said, extending my hand for him to hand me the registration papers of T–World. I proceeded to read it.

There was not much information about her. We’d need to conduct a more thorough investigation. She has been living in the UK for two years and finished her studies at a university there. The last thing known was that she was engaged to Cedric Van Holt. I looked up, and the pain in my head intensified.

“You may leave,” I said, throwing the papers aside.

“Isn’t that your rival from the university?” Will asked, furrowing his brow. I nodded just as Kathe came in with the pill and water. “Well, this is unexpected.” Will shook his head.

“It is,” I responded after taking the water and signaling my secretary to leave.

“I’ll give you some space. Call me if you need anything,” my cousin said, picking up his phone and leaving my office.

I picked up the folders again to read the information, then tossed them aside once more, unable to believe what was happening.

“Nick.”

Perfect, just what I needed.

“What do you want?” I asked, pressing the bridge of my nose.

“The board and I received the email from Lander. We’ve concluded that we won’t share the project. You need to get rid of that company.” My grandfather entered and walked towards me.

“Why would you want to do that? Did you see the contract? It has enough zeros for all of us to be satisfied,” I said firmly.

“We know, but we want double that figure.”

“T–World is a company that has the same power as ours. They won’t be pushed aside so easily.”

“We’ll do whatever it takes. We can’t allow newcomers to take over the project we’ve been working on all this time. You’ve done it before; it won’t be a problem for you,” he asserted, leaving my office once again.

Feeling like it has been a shitty day, I gazed at the city, one hand in my pants pocket, the other holding a glass with a drink from my best bottle. I know I shouldn’t drink alcohol after taking