Chapter 2 : Four Minutes

Ryder ended the call and slowly looked at Victoria.

The room suddenly felt too small. She had the urge to immediately turn around and run out the door. Instead, she straightened awkwardly and cleared her throat.

“That was your fault.”

One of Ryder’s eyebrows lifted.

“My fault?”

“Your briefcase was in the way.” She pointed accusingly at the object that nearly killed her dignity.

Ryder glanced at it.

Technically, she was right.

Unfortunately for her, that didn’t explain why a stranger was standing inside his room.

“This is private property.”

Victoria’s brain raced.

Okay.

The situation was bad. Recoverable, maybe, but definitely bad.

If she got thrown out now, she might never get another opportunity like this again. She had spent weeks researching board members, memorizing company reports, and convincing herself this ridiculous plan would work.

Her grandmother was counting on her.

So was EVANGELINE.

Failure wasn't an option she could afford.

“Sorry.” She forced an embarrassed smile. “I was actually looking for room 149.”

Ryder studied her face silently. The intensity of his gaze unsettled her. It felt like he could see every lie forming inside her head.

He sighed heavily before saying, “You’re Julius’ one-night stand, aren’t you?”

Victoria blinked, taken aback. “I’m sorry?”

“I assumed he explained how he operates before inviting you here.”

Mortification slammed into her.

Victoria looked down at her carefully selected business outfit. Did she seriously look like someone sneaking around after a hookup?

“I am not anyone’s one-night stand,” she responded, trying to hide the bite in her tone.

Ryder said nothing.

He walked to the liquor table, poured a drink into a glass, then held it out toward her.

Victoria hesitated.

Then she crossed the room and accepted it. Rejecting a drink from a billionaire while trying to pitch to him felt stupid.

“It’s Four Siblings,” Ryder said casually. “Imported from Morocco seventy years ago.”

Victoria sniffed it suspiciously.

“I’ll take your word for it. I haven’t lived long enough to confirm whether rich people were obsessed with this back then.”

For the briefest moment, amusement flickered across Ryder’s face. Then it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Interesting.

Most articles described Ryder Lake as cold, ruthless, and impossible to please.

Yet she had already managed to make him look amused twice.

Either the internet was wrong, or she was accidentally risking her life.

He sat on the sofa and crossed one leg over the other.

“Should I call security?” he asked calmly. “Or are you going to tell me why you’re actually here?”

Straight to the point.

Victoria almost sighed in relief.

Good. No more pretending.

“I came to pitch my business.” She set the glass down carefully. “I needed an investor, so I decided to come directly to one.”

Ryder lifted an eyebrow.

Most people feared him. This woman broke into a hotel suite to pitch a startup.

Interesting.

“And if I’m not interested?” he asked before taking a sip from his drink.

“You haven’t heard the pitch yet.”

The confidence in her voice caught his attention.

For the first time, she looked less like an intruder and more like a woman who genuinely believed in what she was selling.

He leaned back against the sofa.

“You have four minutes.”

Victoria’s heart nearly exploded with excitement.

Four minutes was enough.

It had to be.