Chapter 21
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In the few seconds it took for the call to connect, a flood of memories Eliana had carefully locked away came rushing back, unbidden.
‘We were so young back then,‘ she thought, the nostalgia edged with bitterness. “To throw it all away over a few stupid words. From this distance, the reason for our breakup seemed almost laughably petty!
But that was the thing about pride, especially when people were that age. Neither of them knew how to bend.
And in life, people rarely waited for you to figure it out. One wrong turn, one moment of stubborn silence, and you could miss someone for a lifetime. She and Nathan were proof of that.
She was so lost in the past that his voice, when it came, startled her. “Eliana?” It was a clean, sharp sound, and the fact that he knew it was her instantly made her breath catch.
She forced herself to sound normal. “It’s me. You guessed quickly, Mr. Turner.” A soft, derisive sound came from the other end. “Your phone number never changed.”
Her heart gave a strange, painful thump. She was scrambling for a response when he continued, his tone turning. businesslike and detached. “The Westridge land. You’re looking for an investor.”
Having her motives laid bare twice now, Eliana gave up on pretense. “Yes. Since you’ve already figured it out, I won’t waste your time. I’ve prepared a full report on the project’s three–year market viability and execution plan. Give me an email, and I’ll send it over.
“I’m also willing to sign a performance–based agreement. If the targets aren’t met, I’ll offer Lyons Group as collateral.”
For a moment, there was only silence on the line. Then Nathan let out a short, incredulous laugh. “Ten years, and you’ve learned how to bluff, Eliana.
“Can Lyons Group even survive due diligence right now? From what I hear, putting the entire company in wouldn’t cover the hole you’re already in.”
Eliana hadn’t intended to bluff. In her past life, she’d lived long enough to see just how wildly successful that biomedical park became. It was the project that catapulted Logan into a new league of wealth and influence.
He never discussed business with her, but its success was so monumental that people couldn’t help but talk. She’d overheard enough to know its potential.
As long as this project is implemented at the current scale, everything will develop in a positive direction.
Perhaps with the involvement of the two VC firms, even she could not expand this to the scale of her previous life, but at least she won’t lose money. And the Lyons Group would then be alright.
But her certainty was based on knowledge she couldn’t explain. She could create forecasts and models, but at their core, they were still just predictions. How could she possibly convince Nathan of something only she knew?
Just as she was about to give up, his voice came again, flat and decisive. “Getting me to invest isn’t impossible. But you need to show some sincerity, Eliana. You can’t solve a funding gap this large with a phone call.”
“Ten o’clock. My office. We’ll talk in person.” Nathan finished his words. The line went dead. A fragile spark of hope ignited in her chest.
‘He hadn’t said no. That was something. As long as there was a chance, I had to take it. She thought. She printed and bound every page of her proposal. After telling her parents she was going out, she headed to Nathan’s company.
1/2
2:24 am P
Chapter 21
Meanwhile, Eliot Mansion was a pressure cooker. Since Eliana’s departure, Logan had fired three housekeepers.
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No replacement seemed to satisfy him. His perpetually foul mood cast a pall over the entire household, leaving the staff walking on eggshells. If not for the exceptionally high salaries, they would have quit en masse.
Sophie, by virtue of her long tenure, had kept her job, but not a day went by without some sharp criticism from Logan. She was at her wit’s end.
This morning was no different. She had carefully selected a suit and tie combination based on a style blog frequented by executives.
Logan took one look at it, his face darkening. Without a word, he brushed past her and went to choose his own clothes from the walk–in closet. He didn’t yell. He didn’t have to. The disdain in that single glance was crushing.
Sophie couldn’t take it anymore. The moment he left the room, she snapped a picture of the rejected outfit and sent it to Eliana.
Sophie: [Mrs. Eliot, I know you don’t want anything to do with this house anymore. But after all these years, I know you cared about us. I’m swallowing my pride to ask for help. Is there something wrong with this outfit?
[I’ve been trying to dress him based on online advice, but he hates everything. Now he just picks his own. I’m trying so hard, but nothing pleases him. I don’t know what else to do.]
Eliana had just gotten into her car when the messages chimed through. Seeing it was from Sophie, her heart softened.
In that cold, empty mansion, Sophie and a few others had been her only source of genuine warmth. In her past life, during her loneliest, sickest days, it was Sophie who checked on her, who brought her soup.
So, even though she wanted nothing more to do with Logan Eliot, she couldn’t ignore Sophie’s plea. Her thumbs flew over the screen.
Eliana: [His preferences depend on his schedule. Add Andrew on WhatsApp–I’m sending his contact. Ask him for Logan’s schedule the day before.
[For formal meetings: black or charcoal grey suit, full set. Matching tie and tie pin. They’re stored together in sets. Don’t mix them. He hates mismatched tie pins.
[For casual days: smoke grey or navy blazers. The coordinating ties are in the drawer on the west side. I labeled them by number. Match by number.
[Also, suits need to be steamed first thing in the morning. The collar and cuffs especially…]
She typed, lost in the familiar details, not realizing how much she was sending. Logan emerged from the walk–in closet to find Sophie staring, wide–eyed, at her phone.
He felt a flicker of irritation. “Shouldn’t you be nrenarino breakfast?”
2/2
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
