Chapter 11

Morning slowly came with the sun setting so brightly 

Scott slipped into his gym clothes, grabbed his gym bag, and jogged out of the main building toward the separate gym at the back of the property.

He worked out there every morning before diving into the rest of his day. It was a routine he rarely skipped, regardless of how busy his schedule became.

He started with a few minutes on the treadmill to warm up before moving on to the weights. He picked up a pair of dumbbells, performing several controlled repetitions before setting them down and moving to the next exercise. He followed that with a few sets of bench presses, then moved to the pull-up bar, pushing himself through each repetition.

By the time he finished with his final set of squats, sweat had gathered along his forehead and trickled down his neck. He wiped his face with a towel, collected his belongings, and headed back to the main building.

He went straight to the bathroom and stepped beneath the shower, allowing the warm water to run over his head and slowly down his body. After a few moments, he reached for his sponge and began scrubbing away the sweat from his workout.

Feeling refreshed, he stepped out of the bathroom and dried himself with a towel before slipping into his robe.

He settled onto the couch at the far end of the room, picked up his laptop, and opened his email. His eyes moved quickly across the screen as he scanned the unread messages, as tho he was searching for something in particular .

After minutes of going through the email.

With a slight frown, he reached for his phone. He scrolled through his contacts until he found the number he wanted, then placed the call.

“I cannot find the email from the foreign investors.” Scott spoke as soon as the other person answered.

“Yes, sir. It has not been forwarded to your email yet,” a young man replied from the other end.

Scott’s expression tightened.

“Why not? I instructed you to have the secretary forward their response directly to my personal email as soon as it came in.”

“Yes, sir. I did as you instructed, but we have not received a response from the investors yet,” the young man answered calmly.

Scott raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, sir.”

“All right. Make sure the email is forwarded to me immediately once it comes in.”

“Yes, sir.”

Scott ended the call and set his phone aside.

Something about the delay did not sit right with him.

That was unusual, investors don’t take this long to finalize a contract once the meetings were concluded and both parties had agreed on the terms and conditions. Yet, it had already been a week since their last meeting, and the investors had still not given them a definite answer.

The deal was too important for him to ignore the delay.

The Chinese investors were prepared to invest billions of dollars, and securing the contract would be a major milestone for Harrington Global Holdings. It would open doors to new opportunities and give the company the international recognition Scott believed it deserved.

He had put too much work into this deal to watch it slip through his fingers.

He had traveled to China several times to meet with the investors, and they had also visited West Virginia for meetings with his team. Both sides had spent considerable time discussing the proposal, negotiating terms, and working toward an agreement.

So what was taking them so long?

Had they begun reconsidering their decision? Were they entertaining offers from another company?

Scott’s jaw tightened at the thought.

That was not supposed to happen. Several companies had competed for the contract, but he was convinced that Harrington Global Holdings was the strongest candidate. His team had worked hard to present a solid proposal, and he had personally invested time and effort into ensuring that everything was in order.

He had no intention of letting all that work go to waste.

Still, the silence from the investors are beginning to get him worried. 

Scott let out a frustrated sigh and shut his laptop. He rose from the couch and walked out of the room, heading straight for his private library.

Perhaps a little quiet would help him think through the situation.

*****

“You have to go!” Gabby yelled from the bathroom as she flushed the toilet.

“No, I do not have to go, and I will not be going,” Audrey replied, rolling her eyes before returning her attention to the large canvas in front of her.

“But he said he had a business offer for you. Are you not even curious to find out what it might be?” Gabby asked as she stepped out of the bathroom and moved closer to Audrey.

“And besides, this could be the opportunity you have always wished for,” she added, coming to stand beside her.

“Gabby, I do not even know this man. The last time I went somewhere without asking the right questions, I ended up experiencing the most embarrassing moment of my life. So, no, I will not be meeting him.”

Audrey paused, then turned to face her friend.

“If he wants to a painting, he can always send me a message on I*******m or T****k. That is where most of my clients reach out to me, anyway. So, what could he possibly want to tell me in person that he could not simply send in a message?” she asked Gabby who stared at her ad though she was making a bad decision.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Audrey asked, unable to hold back her laughter.

“Seriously, Audrey, I still think you should go to that meeting.”

“You know what?” Gabby said, suddenly heading toward Audrey’s closet. “I think I should pick out an outfit for you. Because trust me, you do not want to show up looking like you just rolled out of bed.”

“But I never agreed to go,” Audrey pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

“You do not have to agree, baby girl. I know what is good for you,” Gabby replied, pulling Audrey up from her chair.

“Now, go into the bathroom and take a quick shower. By the time you come out, your perfect dress will be waiting for you on the bed.”

She gave Audrey a gentle push toward the bathroom.

“But I already took a shower before you got here!” Audrey protested.

“Well, take another one!” Gabby insisted, ushering her inside before closing the door behind her.

“Why did you even have to show up here this morning?” Audrey shouted from inside the bathroom.

“Because I am trying to help you make the right choice!” Gabby yelled back.

“I hate you, Gabby!” Audrey called out.

“I love you, too, baby!” Gabby replied with a chuckle.

A few minutes later, Audrey stepped out from the bathroom with a towel wrapped securely around her chest.

“There is no way I am wearing that dress,” she stated as soon as she spotted the gown Gabby had laid out on the bed.

“Why not? It is a beautiful dress,” Gabby replied, giving her a pointed look.

“Exactly! It is a beautiful dress, and I intended to wear it for a special occasion.”

“Well, this is a special occasion to me. You might be about to land a life-changing business deal!” Gabby teased.

“Gabby, I am serious.” Audrey’s voice softened. “I bought that dress because I planned to wear it when I visited my fiancé’s parents.”

“Your ex-fiancé’s parents, you mean,” Gabby corrected.

Audrey fell silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the red dress.

“Look, Audrey, you do not have a fiancé anymore. You might as well wear it today,” Gabby said, moving closer to her.

Audrey stood still, staring at the dress with a gloomy expression.

“All right. I will find you something else to wear,” Gabby offered, reaching for the gown.

“No need. I will wear it,” Audrey said firmly.

Gabby paused and looked at her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Audrey replied with a faint smile. “You are right. I do not have a fiancé anymore.”

She tried her best to sound strong, but the words still stung.

“Good!” Gabby said, eager to lift her friend’s spirits. “Now, let me do your makeup.”

“Makeup?” Audrey burst out laughing. “You are not laying a finger on my face!”

She slipped into the fitted red dress and adjusted it in front of the mirror.

“All right, then. I should probably keep my makeup skills to myself,” Gabby joked. “Besides, you look stunning without makeup anyway.”

Audrey burst into a loud laugh.