Page 92 of Falling For You

“She’s a woman.”

“Some small-town BS,” Martin interrupted.

“That’s total BS, Owen,” Tom spat. “You knew exactly what you were doing. You deliberately gave Violet’s family an advantage and cut us off at the pass with Vern.”

My smile widened slightly at the mention of Violet’s name.

I had come to Buttercup Lake for business, expecting it to be just another job, but I hadn’t anticipated how the people would get under my skin.

Especially her.

Violet wasn’t just some small-town girl. She was afierce, loyal, and determined woman making her way.

Watching her rally the town and seeing how much she loved this place had done something to me. It had made me realize that the world didn’t have to be all about money and deals.

I’d spent nearly two decades missing out on something I wanted so fiercely it hurt.

But I’d lost it. I’d lost her before I’d ever had her.

“You’re right,” I said, my voice steady. “I did give her family an advantage. I offered to cover the difference between what you were willing to pay and what Vern would have accepted from Violet’s family. It was the right thing to do.”

The line went silent for a moment.

I could practically hear the board members teeming on the other end. They weren’t used to being challenged like this, and certainly not by someone they considered one of their own. I had been part of their world for years—cutthroat deals, profit margins, and loyalty to nothing but the bottom line. I had made a name for myself by playing that game. But now, it all seemed hollow. My life seemed empty.

“You’ve lost your mind,” Martin finally said, his voice low with fury. “You don’t just settle the difference out of your own pocket! We had a contract in place. You’ve made us look like fools. Vern was ready to sign until you got involved. You sabotaged this entire project. And for what? Some small-town romance?”

My smile faded slightly at the mention of romance.

This wasn’t just about me and Violet.

“You just don’t get it and probably never will.” I tapped my finger on the hotel desk in front of me.

This was about something more important than the board would ever understand.

They saw only the financial loss, the missed opportunity for a more significant return on investment. But what they didn’t see—what they could never see—was the value of community, of preserving something real, something irreplaceable.

“I’m not the one who made you look like fools,” I said, my voice growing firmer. “You underestimated this town. You thought you could come in, throw some money around, and buy up everything that matters to these people. But you don’t know them. You don’t know what this place means to them. That’s why you lost.”

Tom’s laugh was cold and harsh. “You really think this is over, don’t you? You think you’ve won because you convinced Vern to back out of the deal? You think you’ve saved your precious little town? You’re naïve, Owen. We’re not walking away from this. We’ll ruin you, and then we’ll take that land, anyway.”

My jaw tightened. I knew they weren’t bluffing. These men had powerandresources that could crush anyone who stood in their way. They had built empiresandwouldn’t hesitate to tear someone down to protect their investments.

But I wasn’t afraid.

Not anymore.

“You can try,” I said, my voice quiet but resolute. “But you won’t win. Not here. Not in Buttercup Lake. I did you a favor before you lost money.”

“A favor?” Martin scoffed.

“Trust me. If we built here, they would have destroyed us somehow. It would have been a slow death, so be grateful that I saved you from losing hundreds of millions.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. I felt their frustration boiling over, but something else was beneath it. Uncertainty.

They weren’t used to losing. They weren’t used to someone standing up to them. But I felt I was on the right side for the first time in a long time.

“This isn’t over,” Martin said, his voice like ice. “We’ll sue you for breach of contract. We’ll come after you for every cent you’ve got, Owen. You’ll regret crossing us.”

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