Chapter 5

Oris

By some miracle, the title landed steady on my lips. Then again, practice made perfect. 

Even if the situation of seeing him again was never in the cards.

Hayden stared for a second, making my insides flip. Then his face smoothed into a blank slate.

"Likewise Miss Rivers," he said, voice cold and distant. "It's nice to meet you too."

He raised his hand to meet mine and…oh.

I sucked in a breath as quietly as his warm firm skin slid against mine. Just like I remembered—

I cut off that thought quickly and released him first before turning back to Richard Patterson.

“If you're busy Mr Patters, I can come another time,” I smiled, silently wishing he'd agree. “In that case, I'm more than willing to—”

“No, no.” The man shook his head, “there's no need for that. In fact, I think Mr Henderson will also be interested. He's a visionary, just like his father.”

My chest tightened. My father. Mine, not his.

But then again it didn't matter anymore.

“I'm really grateful that you took so much time to come here Mr Henderson.” Richard smiled with a look I recognized as obsequious towards Hayden, “After all, this city's so far away and you're so busy, especially given the old Mr—”

“There's no need to worry Mr Patters,” Hayden interrupted, “I don't plan on staying long. And on that note I AM interested in what Miss Rivers has to say.”

A shiver ran through me at how pointedly he said my name. His statement of not planning to stay long gave me a slight wash of relief but that was quickly overshadowed by his suffocating words. 

He'd blocked me in a corner and he knew it.

Richard Patters clearly didn't notice.

“Very well.” he nodded, signalling me with a look. “Then let's begin.”

The rest of the meeting was suffocating. 

On the surface, everything was going well. Richard Patters shifted continuously between praising Hayden at every given moment and discussing his business… and mine.

EJ cooperation was put on display. Richard admittedly called it ‘visionary’, explaining my pitch whilst complementing me. My pitch had clearly worked on him. 

I should have grasped it and played along. The numbers and sales I'd displayed were good. The funding was close enough to grasp.

Had it been any other person, any other investor even at random, I would have. 

Anyone else but him.

Anything else but the itch under my skin in his presence. 

We were inches apart, he settled on the chair beside me. I kept my eyes away from him, but it didn't change a thing. 

His presence itself was suffocating, made even worse by my life's work flayed open for his dissection.

I'd handled 30 minutes of Richard, but less than 10 minutes in, I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom,"I passed another tight smile toward Mr. Patterson as I stood, grasping my bag like a lifeline. "I'll be right back."

With that, I practically ran for the hills. 

Ironically, I did need the restroom. It didn't take long to find it through several hallways beyond the office. 

Moments later, I let cold water run over my wrists as a grounding force. Staring at my reflection revealed my pallid face stark against my russet brunette bun.

Did I look like this the entire time? God, did he notice?

“Stop.” I snapped, shutting my eyes to take a deep breath, curling my right hand in and out to soothe my nerves. 

The chances of this meeting, of this man being somehow connected to him spun. And now, I'd just run.

I still had the option of going back, entertaining Richard and trying to pretend. But the thought of it felt equivalent to chewing glass.

And if I followed my instinct and left, I would likely botch the entire meeting.

My jaw clenched. Pride, untouched by five years and strengthened by everything I'd built reared its head. 

If it meant seeing Hayden, I didn't want it.

I had to leave. Perhaps I'd send an email explaining a family emergency. Maybe Reese would help me smooth things over but I doubted that would work, given the insult my absence gave. 

And so what? There would be another opportunity. Another investor.

Anything else but this.

The decision solidified. With that, I turned away. Leaving the bathroom I traced my path through the quiet hallway toward the elevator. 

I was halfway through when I was blocked.

My heart leaped to my throat as Hayden appeared.

“Leaving?” He asked. 

I wasn't even going to guess how he anticipated it. The sight of him alone was enough to make me remember everything else. 

The bitterness. Their laughter. His voice in that record—

No. I refused to deal with that now.

"Mr. Henderson,” I smiled tightly, keeping my professional pretense as a shield. “It was really nice to meet you. If you'd excuse me, there's somewhere else I have to be. I'll give my apologies to Mr Patters. "

He didn't move, but I slipped past him, avoiding his body. 

"Are you really going to pretend Oris?"

I stopped in my tracks. His voice had dropped, soft and intimate, the way used when they were alone.

All those memories. All tainted.

"I have no idea what you're talking about sir—"

“Enough.” he snapped. I spun around just to find him hulking towards me.

I took a step back, but he closed the distance. 

"So this is where you've been," he said, eyes cold. "All this time?”

My jaw clenched. This time I didn't move, staring at him with the most neutral look I could give.

“You’re blocking my way.” I said, but it made no difference now.

“Jane Rivers.” He ground out, “You truly left no traces. You changed your name and started over. You must be so proud of yourself."

Proud? 

The lump in my throat grew stronger. The way he eyed me was dark and accusatory for a reason I couldn't understand.

What I couldn't stand was how he made it sound so easy. 

I straightened, resigned. There no escaping this.

"It was better than staying." I finally said, no longer pretending. Because it was true.

I'd left. I'd STRUGGLED, but it was a better alternative than being somewhere I wasn't wanted, not even by my own family. 

Much better than him ruining my life and witnessing it.

"And it was so easy for you.” He sneered, “You vanished without a trace. Do you even know the mess you left behind?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I snapped, “Besides, you are clearly doing fine. Let me go and forget you ever saw me. I know I want to.” 

I half expected him to agree, not bitter laughter.

"Fine. Of COURSE I'm fine.” He bit out, "that's the excuse you used to comfort yourself wasn't it? Tell me, did you leave just because you didn't get your way with Panama? Or do you think the world somehow owes you an apology? Hell, maybe you thought even that was beneath you. Selfish for no goddamn reason."

The words were like slaps. It took everything to not flinch.

I didn't understand half of what he meant. Yet those words dredged up the old wounds, brimming hotter and hotter.

‘Dumb and arrogant for no reason,’

"Watch your mouth. Hayden.” I said his name for the first time, trying to keep my voice from shaking. 

But he didn't stop.  Instead, he leaned in, blue eyed gaze narrowing.

 It was damnably familiar to the boy BEFORE he'd softened. The one that I believed I hated amidst the polite perfect facade he wore. 

Taunting, dark and angry. 

"Or what?” He asked, voice dropping. "You'll bite back? Maybe you'll retreat into that damned shell of yours and push everything away. That was what you did best, wasn't it? That's easy to handle. I've dealt with that once, I can do it again."

My last strands of patience SNAPPED.

The slap landed sharp and loud against his cheek, his head snapping from the force of it. My hand ached, but I didn't care.

“Shut the fuck up." I choked out from the sheer anger.

Because how dare HE? 

He'd gotten everything he wanted. He'd USED me. He'd won his sick game.

 I was the one left with nothing but scrambles of my identity.

What right did he have to speak to me?

He had no retort. He didn't move at all even, frozen in place with the red mark blooming on his cheek. The darkness was gone from his eyes, leaving only shock. 

 I couldn't stand to see his damned face anymore. I'd already had enough.

“What right do you have to interrogate me?” I asked, “You're a stranger. Have been for the past five years and I don't plan on reacquainting myself. So do me a favour and leave me the HELL alone.”

Without hesitation, I spun around and stormed off without looking back. 

Fury burned in my chest. I took a taxi, aiming straight for home. Only when I was far enough from that building did the well of emotions calm. 

I still had to call Reese, I reminded myself, guilt twinging. She would no doubt assured me thinking this was just like the other times, not knowing that I'd been the one to botch this meeting and probably the whole business.

What would happen next I'd predicted. Within the next few weeks working would be suspended. There were still emergency reserves but for now, it was better to reduce losses before they grew.

I shut my eyes, leaning against the window. There were too many things to think about. It was too exhausting. 

Enough was enough. Tonight I wasn't going to linger on everything wrong. 

…

The rest of the evening passed by. Without a babysitter I picked both of them up. Dinner passed, then bedtime. By the time they were fast asleep, I was busy cleaning up the entire apartment.

Past midnight, the world was quiet once I was done. I stretched from sheer weight of exhaustion when a slight knock rang.

I frowned but moved forward. This was a secure building and visits were rare but existing. I could already guess it was one of the Carlson's in the apartment across from me. 

Keeping the lock intact, I opened the door halfway, peeking through. 

“Who…” I trailed off. All exhaustion left me as I locked eyes with Hayden on the other side.