His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

As we stepped into the partner's office, I immediately felt a wave of discomfort. The older man I had come to meet was in the middle of something inappropriate with his secretary. Their bodies were pressed too close for it to be just a business conversation, and they didn't seem to care about maintaining any level of professionalism. Their hands lingered on each other as if we weren't standing right there.

I hesitated in the doorway, feeling a surge of disbelief. I had expected some tension, perhaps even a difficult negotiation, but this-this was far worse than I could have imagined. Carlos, standing behind me, remained silent and calm, hough I could feel his watchful presence. He wasn't one to react outwardly, but I knew he saw everything.

The moment the man noticed me, his secretary quickly disentangled herself, wkwardly straightening her blouse before hurrying out of the room. I could see he embarrassment on her face, but her eyes didn't meet mine. The man, however, ad no such shame. He leaned back in his chair with a disgusting smirk plastered cross his face, his gaze raking over me like I was another piece of property.

Ah, Doris," he drawled, his voice thick with mockery. "I was wondering when ou'd show up."

swallowed down the revulsion rising in my throat, trying to maintain some emblance of professionalism. This meeting was important. No matter how vile he as, I had to push through. "I'm here to discuss our agreement," I said, trying to eep my voice steady. "I understand you're considering another offer, but I'd like

efore I could finish, he reached out, his hand brushing against mine. The touch nt a jolt of disgust through me, and I immediately yanked my hand away. "Don't uch me," I said sharply, stepping back. Chapter 69

His smirk widened, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Feisty, aren't we?" His voice was thick with condescension, and he made no effort to hide the way he was looking at me, his eyes lingering far too long. "You're wasting your time, sweetheart. I won't be working with you." I gritted my teeth, but before I could respond, he continued, his words dripping with malice. "In fact, you should prepare yourself for a nice little humiliation at the exhibition. Women like you-stupid, naive-never get anywhere in this business. No one will ever invest in you." The anger was bubbling up inside me, but I forced myself to keep calm. I could feel the heat rising in my face, my hands curling into fists at my sides. I refused to let him see how much his words were affecting me. "You'll regret underestimating me," I spat, my voice trembling with rage. And with that, I turned on my heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind me.

The noise echoed down the hallway, but Carlos, standing outside the door, didn't flinch. He remained calm, as if nothing had happened, his expression unreadable. I could feel the fury still boiling inside me, but I kept it in check. There was no point in dwelling on the disgusting man we had just left behind.

Carlos gestured for me to follow him, and we walked out of the building in silence. I wasn't sure what to say, the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. But Carlos never pushed for an explanation. He didn't need to. As we got into the car, I pulled out my phone and immediately dialed Blair.

"It was awful," I said, not even waiting for Blair to finish his greeting. "That man-he's worse than I imagined. He won't be working with us, and he practically told me to expect humiliation at the exhibition."

Blair was silent for a moment, absorbing the news. "Well," he said after a beat, "good riddance. That's not someone we want to be in business with. You did the right thing, Doris. Don't worry about him. We're better off without his kind."

I appreciated his words, but the sinking feeling in my chest wouldn't go away. "But Blair, the exhibition... Without his partnership, I don't know how we're going to 09:35

pull this off. We're running out of time."Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Blair sighed. "I know, Doris. I'll think of something. We'll figure it out, okay?"

I nodded, though he couldn't see me, and hung up the phone. I let out a long breath, trying to shake off the weight of the situation. But then, as I looked out the window, I realized something. This wasn't the way back to the hotel. "Carlos?" I turned to him, confused. "This isn't the way back. I don't want to keep delaying your trip-you've done enough. I can get out here, really."

Carlos didn't even glance at me, his eyes still on the road. "Don't worry about me," he said, his voice steady. "I know someone in the same business as your former partner. It's worth a try."

I blinked in surprise. "You do? Who?"