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I can’t risk feeling humiliated and foolish like that night.
“Love you.” I kiss both her cheeks before we part ways.
My meeting with Ethan and the investors is in an hour, and I want to speak to my brother before that.
I’m approaching the double sliding entrance doors when a familiar voice calls my name. I freeze before turning around.
“Joe Storms,” I answer through gritted teeth, a muscle in my jaw ticking from how hard I clench.
“It’s a pleasant afternoon, Nelly. Just the kind I need to have this conversation with you,” he says with a smile as he comes to a halt in front of me.
“What do you want?” I wouldn’t have considered myself friends or partners with Storms before, but I also didn’t think he was a terrible person until his stunt with the hostile takeover recently.
Why does he dislike Ethan so much?
Yes, they had history, and Joe did a shameful thing, but it was in the past, and Ethan seems like he’s moved on from it.
“You!” Joe’s answer leaves a chill running up my spine and the glimmer of mischief in his eyes deepens before he adds, “I want you to bring your fabulous and amazing ideas over to my company. Sunny Aerospace suffered a disaster, Nelly, but with my help, we can rebuild your image and expand.”
I tilt my head to one side and assess him closely while he speaks. His blue eyes rage like a sea storm as he speaks. I don’t miss his passion and eagerness to destroy all Ethan has worked for.
“You don’t offer me anything Ethan isn’t already offering,” I say to him before pursing my lips a little.
“You can at least tell me why you’re doing this. Why is it so important for you to ruin his company? Besides, Hart Holdings has already approved of the merger. Why should I back out of the deal now?”
“This isn’t about his company,” Joe snaps. “This is about mine! This is about proving to Ethan that I’m just as good as he is.” A second ticks away before a sly smile crosses his features. “Maybe even better.”
An unsettling feeling erupts inside me, fueling my discomfort when he takes another step towards me. Joe reaches out and grabs my wrist. I yelp, but he tightens his hold before I can move and presses a flash drive into my hand.
“This contains the details of my contract with the Department of Transportation. They awarded me the contract to develop highly efficient electrical engines for the trains and buses. We both know it’s the same contract Ethan’s been trying to secure.”
“What have you done?”
“Nothing a smart businessman wouldn’t do,” he replies with a shrug before releasing my hand. Joe loosens the single button on his suit, then smirks at me once more.
“It’s your last chance to join me, Nelly, and save your company. Ethan can’t offer you what you want. I can.”
“This is a game to you, isn’t it? You believe you can take one more thing away from Ethan, right? Just like you took Julia all those years ago.”
His jaw slackens, and it’s my turn to smirk. “That’s right. I know all about how you had an affair with your friend’s fiancée, even though you knew he loved her.”
“It wasn’t an affair—she loved me!” he yells. The calm façade he wore while talking about his plans fades to give rise to the flushed contours of a furious face.
“You tell yourself that, Joe. Does it make you feel better about betraying a friend?” I hand the flash drive back to him. “I’m not like you. I’ll never betray a friend just to get what I want.”
He scoffs. “He’s not your friend. He thinks he’s better than everyone, and he pays little attention to their feelings or needs. When it suits him, he’ll dump you and cut all ties with you simply because you made a mistake.”
“You think this is all because I slept with his fiancée? Ethan Everhart doesn’t deserve you. He doesn’t deserve anyone, and when you finally see him for who he really is, you’ll come running to me to save you.”
He gives me one last stony look, presses the flash drive back into my hands, and storms away. I stare at the flash drive for a moment and decide to keep it.
Who knows, there might be something worth knowing in here.
Chapter 18
Ethan
After the board meeting with our investors goes south that afternoon, every board member leaves the conference room except for Nelly and Julia, who was there to represent George.