Being with Weston was easy. No games, no guessing. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and honestly? It felt like breathing after years of drowning with Joel.
Joel hit the city where Lyra was staying and instantly put his team on recon mode.
Chapter 13
+25 BONUS
By evening, he was hunched over a report, face like thunder. Lyra and Weston were basically glued at the hip- leaving together, coming home together. No space between them.
He reread it, jaw ticking, then slammed the report onto the table. No mention of a wedding. That meant one thing -he still had a shot.
Of course. It hadn’t been that long. Lyra wouldn’t jump into marriage that fast… right?
Fueled by desperation, he called up Porter Corp’s CEO and cut a deal–help with expansion in Khelmark in exchange for a seat at tomorrow’s meeting with Lebeau Corp. Game on.
Joel suited up in a sleek gray fit, every detail on point. He checked the mirror–twice, then once more–before heading out to Lebeau Corp.
Lyra had just finished her morning meeting when her secretary walked up. “Ms. Lebeau, Porter Corp’s CEO booked a ten o’clock. He’s in the small conference room.”
“Thanks.”
She took a sip of black coffee, grabbed her files, and made her way over.
Inside, Joel sat stiff, eyes locked on his phone’s screen–Lyra’s photo staring back at him. His stare was all longing and regret.
He heard the click of heels. The door creaked open. His world stopped.
There she was–black business dress, hair pinned up, smile calm but fierce.
“Lyra!”
Before she could react, he crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. That minty scent of his hit her like déjà vu.
“I finally found you,” he breathed, voice shaking as he clung to her.
Lyra was just about to shove Joel off when Weston–who’d stopped by earlier with some fruit–stepped in and yanked her behind him like a human shield.
His eyes locked on Joel, cold enough to freeze fire. The tension in the room went nuclear.
“Joel Fenwick,” he said, “after everything you put Lyra through, you seriously have the nerve to show up?”
