Page 53 of The CEO Enemy

“But I still find it quite enjoyable,” he rumbles.

Even though it doesn’t answer my question, my heart swells.

That’s when the door opens and Richard walks in, accompanied by three suits.

Speak of the devil.

The four men look like they own the place, even though Richard is clearly the leader. His commanding presence suggests that this insider restaurant is the ideal setting for a business meeting. The ambiance, neither too opulent nor too casual, seems perfectly suited for business deals. Richard glances across the room, and when he sees us, he nods. Sean nods back.

“Small world,” Sean says, after turning back to me. “Do you want to leave?”

“Absolutely not,” I say firmly, but appreciating his question. From the corner of my eye, I notice Richard and the three impeccably dressed individuals being guided to sit a few tables down.

“Fine by me, my soon-to-be wife,” Sean says, a mischievous glint in his eye.

And just like that, the question is answered. Our “no clue what it is” date morphs into a fake date, with Sean game for extending the performance.

I try not to let my inner turmoil rear its ugly head.

“You were saying?” he asks. “Please continue.”

“Well…the main reason I don’t like to bring up what happened before I bought Westerlyn is because even after all this time, I feel incredibly dumb for not seeing what was coming…” I pause for a moment. “How much did Norman tell you about me or my past while you two were putting the deal together?”

“Not much, really. I knew something significant happened to you before. Or at least, that’s the sense I got. But if it’s really not something you want to talk about?—”

“No, no, it’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it now,” I assure him, crossing my legs and leaning back in my seat. “As you know, I was in a relationship with Richard. Back then, he handled investments. He knew that I wanted to own my own hotel, and one day, I found one that was exactly what I wanted. It was my dream place, a plaza hotel. All I could think about was all the changes I’d make and how I could improve it. I was so excited. But I was young and in love, both of which make you blind. Anyway, the hotel was way too expensive for me alone, so he offered to buy it with me, together.” I sigh. “The one thing I’m proud of myself for doing is keeping our bank accounts separate. Otherwise, it may have turned out far worse than it actually did. Which isn’t saying much because it was still pretty bad.”

“What happened?”

“Just one day before our wedding—he bought the hotel for himself.”

Sean leans on the table, and his expression is darker than I’ve ever seen before. It’s the definition of brooding intensity, a thunderstorm brewing in his gaze.

I can’t take my eyes off him. It’s frightening, in a good way—in a good way because he’s completely on my side.

Sean shakes his head as he crosses his arms. “That’s unacceptable.”

“I know. The funny thing is, it catapulted his career, turning a small hotel into a billionaire plaza mogul empire.”

“That’s not funny. It’s fucked up.”

“I know. But honestly, Sean, in the end, I had to stop thinking about it or what I should have done. I had to accept that it is what it is. If I was ever going to be happy, if I was ever going to move on and make something of my life and live my dream, I couldn’t live in the past. That’s what I told myself every day, until I believed it. My approach was to find the silver lining amid the turmoil, the glimmer of light in the storm. I couldn’t keep thinking about him. I wouldn’t give him that power. Not then, not now.”

“How does he dare show his face in our hotel, let alone try to buy it?” This time, he has a “I’ll burn the world down, and this guy first” death glare. My nipples prickle against the fabric of my cocktail dress.

“I know. The audacity, right?”

“Didn’t you wish he’d regret the crap he pulled?”

“Of course. Especially in the beginning. But somehow, deep inside, I knew I dodged a bullet. He chose the hotel over me. Goes to show how much he truly loved me. Thanks—next! I knew I’d find a better opportunity. And I did.”

Sean reaches across the table and takes my hand. In my mind, I hope it’s as real as it feels. I also hope Richard is watching us, that he sees this. But when I glance over, he’s occupied by studying the menu.

“You’re definitely the most positive, steadfast person I’ve ever met,” Sean rumbles. “I can’t imagine the strength it must have taken to pick yourself back up and start over. A lot of people would have let that situation turn them bitter. But you didn’t. You still managed to save up and make your dream happen. You should be pretty proud of that.”

“The gown, the engagement and wedding ring all ended up in the pawn shop. Without that cash, I might never have secured a stake in Norman’s shares. Crazy, isn’t it?”

There’s a look of understanding that passes across his face. “That’s why you were so upset about Norman selling to me. Old wounds and all that.”

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