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At that moment, the phone rang in the anteroom. Francis looked up. "Yolanda's on vacation. I'll see who it is. Be right back." Despite my bad mood, I looked at Francis appreciatively. He really kept every inconvenience away from me and wasn't above taking on my secretary's tasks when she happened to be away.
Just a minute later, Francis was back in the doorway to my office. His face was one big question mark.
"That was Donovan Hayden Ellesmere," he announced.
I looked up. "What did he want?"
"He just said:Tell that bastard his products are top-notch. But he'll only get the contract if he makes my daughter happy again.Tell himexactly like that." Francis looked at me helplessly.
I groaned loudly. "This can't be happening!"
"So you can make sense of this message, Mr. Jenkins?" Francis looked at me attentively.
"Yes!"
Francis waited, but I didn't say anything more.
"Leave me alone for a moment," I ordered him. Francis obeyed. Without further questioning, he left my office and closed the door behind him.
"Goddamn it!" I shouted and slammed my fist on my desk again. At that moment, my cell phone rang. Angrily, I wanted to sweep it off the desk, but when I read the name on the display, I paused. I took three deep breaths and answered the call.
"Carter, old boy," the cheerful voice of my best friend Don boomed in my ear.
"Don," I answered.
"You don't sound particularly thrilled." I couldn't fool Don. He had known me long enough to know when I was angry and when I wasn't.
"TheElecarCorporationis giving the contract to Cameron," I spat out through gritted teeth. Just as I had calmed down a bit, I now felt the vein at my temple starting to throb again.
"That huge contract?" Don made sure.
"That's the one." I was so angry I could barely speak. I wanted to roar out loud, but that wouldn't have improved the situation either.
"Your product is better in every way."
"Yes. But that doesn't matter when your ex's father sits on the supervisory board of theElecarCorporation."
"Abigail's father is on the board at theElecarCorporation?" Don had quickly put two and two together.
"Exactly."
"The story with you two is ancient history." Don sounded visibly puzzled.
"One year," I replied curtly. Exactly one year ago, I had broken up with my ex Abigail Ellesmere. The woman had been as impossible as her name. How could I have gotten so involved with her? I shook my head at the thought.
"And now her father wants to take revenge on you? Because you broke up with her?" Don wanted to know.
"No, I don't think so," I replied thoughtfully.
"Then what?" Don pressed.
"Abigail's father told my assistant:Tell that bastard his products are top-notch. But he'll only get the contract if he makes my daughter happy again." I took a deep breath. "It sounds like he wants me to... see Abigail again." The last word came reluctantly from my lips.
"Wow!" Don was speechless at first.
"That's out of the question!" I started ranting. "That woman drove me crazy with her jealousy! She constantly wanted to know where I was, where I was going, who I met there, who I talked to, what I ate and drank... It was absolutely unbearable! Of course, I didn't tell her anything, after all, I'm my own man and I decide freely about my life. I don't want a jealous bitch who's constantly breathing down my neck!"
"You've thoroughly enjoyed your freedom since the breakup," Don grinned. I couldn't see his grin, of course, but the sound of his voice told me everything.