5

Nimue POV

I arrived at Hathaway Wines before sunrise because today’s investor meeting was too important for mistakes. But honestly? I came early because I did not want to run into Reginald. I had successfully avoided him for the last few days.

The second I saw him inside the mansion, six years of carefully buried anger came rushing back like a wound somebody ripped open violently. I hated it. I hated how one look at him still affected me.

The building was quiet when I entered. Most workers had not arrived yet, so only the cleaning staff moved through the hallways preparing for the day. I walked toward the boardroom while flipping through reports in my hand. Numbers were easier than emotions. Numbers stayed predictable. People did not.

The secretary outside the boardroom smiled nervously when she saw me. “Good morning, Luna Nimue.”

“Morning, Clara.”

“Coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

She hurried away quickly.

I entered the boardroom alone and exhaled softly. Large windows overlooked the vineyard outside while morning sunlight slowly spilled across the table. The room still smelled faintly like fresh paper and coffee.

Six years ago, I carried grape baskets through those same vineyards with cracked hands and old shoes. Now, I owned half the company shares. Life changed strangely sometimes.

I placed my files neatly on the table before sitting down. For a few peaceful minutes, I almost relaxed. Then the door opened behind me. My shoulders tensed instantly before I even turned around.

Reginald. Of course.

I hated how my body still recognized him immediately. The expensive cologne, the Alpha presence, the confidence. When I finally looked up, my chest tightened despite myself.

Moon Goddess, America had changed him. This Reginald looked sharper now, older, broader. His expensive black suit fit him perfectly, while his dark hair looked slightly messy, like he had been running frustrated hands through it all morning. He was still handsome, unfortunately.

His eyes locked onto me immediately and stayed there. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then his gaze slowly traveled across my body before returning to my face again. The look irritated me instantly, as if he still had the right.

“Good morning, Luna Nimue.”

The mocking emphasis on Luna made my jaw tighten slightly. “Alpha Reginald.”

He walked further inside casually before taking the seat directly beside mine. I closed my file calmly. “There are several empty chairs available.”

“I like this one.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t.”

He leaned back lazily. “That sounds personal.”

“It is.”

Something flickered briefly in his eyes. Before either of us could continue, investors slowly started entering the boardroom. The atmosphere changed immediately into business smiles and polite greetings. Everyone noticed the tension between us instantly, but thankfully, nobody commented on it openly.

By the time the meeting officially started, twelve investors sat around the table reviewing documents quietly. I stood up first.

“Thank you all for attending. Hathaway Wines experienced a twenty percent increase in international exports this quarter, particularly across western territories.” The presentation screen behind me lit up with charts and financial projections. “As you can see, our red wine distribution continues outperforming competitor estimates despite rising transport costs.”

Several investors nodded approvingly. I continued smoothly. “Our next expansion phase focuses on luxury exports toward northern Alpha territories where demand remains underdeveloped.”

Reginald suddenly murmured something, interrupting me. The room fell slightly quieter. I glanced at him calmly. “Excuse me?”

He smiled politely at the investors before speaking. “Expanding north this early creates unnecessary risk. Those territories already have established suppliers.”

I held his gaze for a second. Then I clicked the projector remote calmly, and a new chart appeared immediately. “Actually, northern suppliers experienced a fourteen percent production decline after last winter’s crop damage.”

Several investors leaned forward immediately. I continued before Reginald could interrupt again. “Hathaway Wines already negotiated reduced transport tariffs with three northern distributors. That cuts projected losses by almost half.”

One older investor nodded slowly. “Impressive.”

I noticed Reginald’s jaw tighten slightly beside me. Good.

He interrupted again twenty minutes later while we were discussing export strategies. “You’re expanding too aggressively.”

I looked toward him calmly. “Based on?”

“Market instability.”

I smiled slightly. “Which market specifically?”

His eyes narrowed faintly. “The eastern regions.”

I opened another report instantly. “Eastern sales increased thirty-two percent during the previous quarter.”

Silence filled the room. A younger investor tried, and failed, to hide his smile.

Reginald leaned back slowly in his chair. “You prepared answers for everything.”

“I prepared because, unlike some people, I actually built this company instead of inheriting it.”

The room went silent immediately. Oops, too personal. But honestly, I did not regret it.

Something flashed across Reginald’s face. It wasn't anger; it was pain. It disappeared quickly, though.

One investor awkwardly cleared his throat. “Well… the company’s current performance certainly speaks for itself.”

“Yes,” another added carefully. “Hathaway Wines became one of the strongest exporters in the region surprisingly fast.”

I continued the presentation professionally while ignoring the tension beside me. But I could feel Reginald watching me constantly now, every time I spoke, every time investors praised the reports, and every time another business executive asked for my opinion instead of his.

The old Reginald would have flirted through situations like this carelessly. This Reginald looked irritated instead, threatened even. And strangely, part of me enjoyed it.

By the end of the meeting, the investors looked openly impressed. Contracts sat signed across the table while assistants gathered paperwork nearby. One older investor smiled warmly toward me. “Now I understand why Alpha Gerald trusts his Luna with the company.”

The word Luna changed everything instantly. The atmosphere, the tension, the air itself.

I felt Reginald go completely still beside me. His jaw tightened so hard I heard his teeth grind quietly. For one second, our eyes locked across the table. And suddenly, the hatred between us felt dangerously alive, hot, intense, and far too close to desire. It unsettled me instantly.

The investor continued talking casually, completely unaware of the war happening silently beside him. “You’ve done remarkable work, Luna Nimue.”

“Thank you,” I answered politely.

But Reginald suddenly stood up, far too quickly. The movement drew attention immediately. “I need some air,” he muttered.

Then he walked out before anyone could stop him. Nobody was going to anyway. The door slammed hard enough to shake the room slightly. Several investors exchanged awkward looks.

I forced a calm smile onto my face. “Alpha Reginald is still adjusting after returning from abroad.”

That seemed to ease the tension slightly. Eventually, the meeting ended properly. One by one, the investors left the boardroom, discussing contracts happily.

The moment the room emptied completely, exhaustion hit me hard. I leaned both hands against the table and closed my eyes briefly. Moon Goddess, why did seeing him still feel this difficult?

“You handled him well.”

I opened my eyes immediately. Alpha Gerald stood near the doorway, watching me quietly.

“When did you get here?”

“Long enough.”

I straightened slightly. “He interrupted every ten minutes.”

Gerald smirked faintly. “And still lost.”

Despite myself, satisfaction flickered through me briefly. Then I sighed softly.

Gerald walked closer slowly. “He expected returning home would place him back in control of everything.” His expression turned thoughtful. “Instead, he discovered life moved on without him.”

Something uncomfortable twisted inside me at those words. Because despite everything, a small part of me had once waited for Reginald to come back, foolishly and painfully.

I pushed the thought away immediately. “That version of my life ended six years ago.”

Gerald studied me quietly for a moment. “Did it?”

Before I could answer, the boardroom door suddenly opened again. Reginald stepped back inside. His eyes immediately landed on Gerald standing beside me. The atmosphere shifted instantly, and the way his gaze dropped briefly toward the small distance between us made my stomach rumble.

Moon Goddess, chaos was definitely about to erupt.