Page 16 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
I glanced at Eva.Our eyes met.Her calm, her strategic intelligence...
A discreet smile escaped me.Damn, what a woman.
10.What if it's not enough?
TRISTAN
Steve arrived at the office the following week for our quarterly work session.I assigned Audrey to other projects so I could fully enjoy the presence of my friend and collaborator.Together, we reviewed his financial projections for the upcoming funding round.
At the end of the day, we joined the rest of the team in our former headquarters, nestled in the heart of the Latin Quarter.Eva and Leila were already seated at our usual table, leaning toward each other in deep conversation.Satoshi was supposed to join us later, after his technical meeting.
The place hadn't changed: the same hushed atmosphere, the same exposed stone walls that had witnessed our first entrepreneurial dreams.
Luigi, the owner of the bar who had watched us grow, welcomed us with his characteristic Italian exuberance.To preserve our privacy, he had reserved the entire back room for us, with Lorenzo and Marco discreetly standing guard at the entrance.
The girls stood up to greet Steve.
"Hey Steve," Leila said with a smile."How have you been since last time?"
"To be honest, the pace is pretty intense right now," Steve replied, taking a seat next to her, while I sat down beside Eva."The days are packed, so I try to exercise and get out a bit to decompress.And you, I hear you've been dating someone recently.How's that going?"
"It's pretty recent; only time will tell if it works out."
"She refuses to introduce him to us," Eva pouted."She's afraid we'll scare him away."
"Of course I'm afraid!With the reputation we all have, you'd have to be a little crazy to want to join our group!"
"Speak for yourself," Eva replied, laughing."I never appear in the press."
"Yes, but Tristan is in it practically every week!"
"Hey, don't drag me into this!"I protested with a laugh while putting my arm around Eva's shoulders.
I pulled her close and planted a kiss on her temple, intoxicated by her perfume.She nestled naturally into my embrace, her body fitting perfectly against mine.
"Let us know if we're bothering you," Steve said with a smirk.
We burst out laughing, savoring the simplicity of this moment among friends.
The atmosphere subtly changed when Satoshi entered the room.Leila's warm laughter softened, and I noticed how she straightened slightly, absently running a hand through her hair.Satoshi paused almost imperceptibly when he saw her, his smile spontaneously widening before he caught himself.
"Hello Steve!"Satoshi called out as he approached.
"Good to see you," Steve replied, standing up to embrace him.
When Satoshi sat next to Leila, he was careful to maintain a polite distance, but I didn't miss how their gestures seemed unconsciously synchronized, like a familiar dance they had learned to master.They exchanged a quick but intense look before focusing a bit too attentively on the general conversation.Steve and Eva, absorbed in their discussion, didn't seem to notice this silent ballet.
"How's the Watson project going?"Leila asked, her soft voice betraying an interest that went beyond mere politeness.
"Good...We finally solved the bug I told you about," Satoshi replied, adjusting his glasses.
Their exchange, though seemingly professional, vibrated with contained intimacy.Leila's eyes lingered a second too long on his profile as he explained the technical details, and I saw a slight smile form on her lips when he got carried away in his explanations, as he always did when passionate about a subject.
Luigi's arrival broke this moment of silent complicity.He placed before us a plate overflowing with Italian charcuterie accompanied by generous chunks of Parmesan.
"Here you go, my friends!Smoked ham, spicy salami, and delicately flavored coppa, straight from Tuscany," he announced proudly.
Satoshi regained his usual enthusiasm as Luigi briefly stepped away, returning with a bottle of red wine promising sunshine.
