Page 4 of The Innovator

“You know what? I’m going to do that right now.” Maggie pulled out her phone from her Versace purse and typed as she spoke, “Interested in a ‘cock-tale’ tonight?” She bit her lip, smiling at the screen, and tucked it back in her purse.

“He’d be a fool to say no to that kind of invitation,” Jill said, as though she wasn’t in a professional atmosphere that called for more discreet conversation.

Why was I still standing there eavesdropping? I had no idea.

They laughed, and the sound felt like pinpricks on my skin. It was odd because I didn’t care if they were interested in the irritating man who had refused to sign multiple documents I’d sent his way. He’d delayed my process, which meant I had more work to do, and he’d been rude in his reply whenever I called or emailed him for an update.

A gorgeous face didn’t make up for the ugly character that lay beneath the façade. The fashion industry produced a lot of gorgeous people, but not all of them possessed the personality to match the beauty. I’d learned to look at beauty differently, and I had standards to abide by.

As far as I was concerned, Grayson was just another wealthy, arrogant, and good-looking man who had no regard for others. The glamourous exterior attracted women like Maggie and Jill, but I knew better. These days, I steered clear of men like Grayson Wu.

“I wonder when he’ll reply,” Maggie said, twirling a lock of red hair around her finger.

Sergeant Kennedy emerged with a straight posture, squared shoulders, and stern face, wearing a navy jacket over gray pants with a folder in her hand. She had short gray hair that came to her chin.

“Girls, this is not Gossip Hollywood. Please keep your voices down. If you must gossip, please head downstairs to the cafeteria or go outside, where the birds and bees would be more interested in your conversation. You’re blocking the copy machine.” She squeezed between the girls and started making copies.

Maggie whispered something to Jill as they walked away, sneering at Sergeant Kennedy’s back.

Sergeant Kennedy looked over her shoulder at them, then at me. “You part of the Gossip Girls Club too?”

“Nope. Going to lunch now.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I headed down the stairs and almost bumped into Robert’s wife. She had dark brown hair, an oval face, and light green eyes.

“Hi, Linda,” I said. “Robert’s not in his office. He’s at a meeting.”

“I know. I’m just dropping off lunch for him since I was in the area.”

“He’ll be happy when he returns to his office. Enjoy your day.”

“You as well.” She smiled.

As I walked on the sidewalk, Grayson Wu’s face intruded my vision as though he knew I’d been spying on a conversation about him. Why wouldn’t I be curious about the man who had made my life difficult for the past few months? I should be used to unpleasant billionaires with massive egos by now, but none of them got under my skin the way he did.

Stress had been piling up on me, and Grayson’s attitude didn’t help. Thinking about him soured my mood, so I shoved him out of my head and entered the sandwich shop.

CHAPTERTWO

GRAYSON

Sitting at a long, rectangular desk inside the conference room with not enough sunlight, I stared at the documents needing Commissioner Conner’s signature. I should have been here months ago. The blueprint for the Three Point Park project was finally ready, and I could start the construction without further delay. For the past few months, obstacles had piled up, preventing me from getting anything done, including the renovation of a property that Derek had fucked up.

Derek—I now addressed my uncle by his first name—had been business partners with my parents at Wu Real Estate Solutions. But then he murdered my dad and used the properties to run his illegal drug and sex trafficking business. The insanity of last year was something that should only occur on TV shows.

I’d wanted to demolish the warehouse, for all its ugly memories and negative energy, but didn’t want to waste the sturdy skeleton of the building. So, despite my desire to destroy it, I had opted to renovate it. The location had easy access to the highways that would attract businesses. Mom had hired a feng shui lady who gave the property an energetic cleanse with incense, prayers, and crystals. I had no part in that, but Mom believed in that stuff, so I let her do whatever she wanted. That building belonged to her and my dad. I was just the CEO—the shield—who ensured no one hurt my family again.

Though I had reservations about the building, I was a business executive who needed to think objectively. This warehouse was profitable, and if I treated it as such, it would benefit me and my family. Mom’s real estate company had recently merged with my Foresight Design Firm, offering design, development, and real estate solutions.

Now that all the lawsuits Derek had brought upon the family business had been all squared away, I could breathe easier, giving me the energy to concentrate on Three Point Park, a project that seemed to evolve, getting more complicated every time I worked on it. I could have delegated more to my team, but I found it difficult to trust people these days—even people I used to trust. It wasn’t their fault. This was a weakness I’d been trying to overcome.

Damn Derek. His betrayal destroyed me, and I hated him for it.

Not wanting to think about him anymore, I got up from the table and walked over to the window offering a view of downtown Providence from the fourth floor. I glanced into the distance, toward where Three Point Park would be located, but a few buildings blocked the view. The two buildings had been demolished, waiting on the construction. This unique park would connect three distinctive buildings offering residential and business suites and prime retail space—

My thought was cut off by a figure walking on the sidewalk below. Natalie walked beside another girl, laughing at something. I’d been dealing with her for months. She was like a leech who wouldn’t let go of a pending project even after I told her I didn’t have time for it. She kept calling and emailing my assistant, who gave the same answers. Unsatisfied, she reached out to me again and again. I could have ignored her, but I hadn’t been in a courteous mood, so every time she called, I irritated the hell out of her.

Normally, I admired people with persistence because success required it. I knew this because I practiced it. However, my patience had been reserved for lawsuits at that time. I wanted to kill every damn lawyer who took a hit at my family.

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