Chapter 2Marrying The Boss Who Bankrupted You

I took Nicholas straight to the office.

The moment I pushed open the double doors of the main conference room, a wave of warm laughter drifted out.

"Daisy, does it still hurt? Let me blow on it."

"Jared, don't do that. Lola will be furious if she finds out."

"Why even mention her? That workaholic wouldn't understand. She doesn't have a gentle bone in her body, unlike you."

I stood in the doorway, watching the cozy, domestic scene of the five of them. It was deeply pathetic.

Jared, Victor, Garrett, and Kyle.

These four men had been my closest friends in college. We were the founding team. When we first pooled our pennies together to start this company, so poor we lived on white bread, I was the one who went out to charm investors, pitch clients, and build our reputation brick by brick.

Later, for the long-term survival of the company, I volunteered to spearhead our overseas expansion, leaving everything behind for three grueling years.

I thought we were all bleeding for the same dream.

But while I was working myself to the bone in cold London offices, they were back home, orbiting an intern who probably didn't even know how to clear a paper jam.

The virtual panel flickered back to life:

[She’s here! She’s here! Queue the drama!]

[Poor Daisy, her finger is bleeding, and you know this cold-hearted woman is just going to scream at her.]

[Protect Daisy! Throw this heartless monster out of the company!]

I looked coldly at Daisy, who sat in the center of the room.

She was undeniably pretty in a fragile, doe-eyed way, holding up a finger wrapped in a cartoon band-aid like it was a purple heart.

The moment they noticed me, the laughter in the room died instantly.

Jared was the first to recover, his brows knitting together as he stood up. "Lola? When did you get back? Didn't I tell you to just take a cab?"

"If I didn't come back, how would I get to enjoy this touching family reunion?" I shot back, my voice laced with ice.

Victor pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone instantly defensive. "Lola, drop the attitude. Daisy was trying to prep for your welcome dinner when she cut herself. We’re just looking out for her. Is compassion foreign to you?"

"Seriously, you walk in the door and immediately start throwing your weight around like you own the place," Garrett muttered, crossing his arms.

Kyle stepped in front of Daisy, shielding her from me as if I were a wild animal.

"Lola, please don't be mad at them. It's all my fault..." Daisy’s eyes welled with tears on cue.

"Save the waterworks. I don't have the patience for theater today."

I pulled out a leather chair, sat down, and tossed my briefcase onto the glass table.

"Since everyone is here, let’s have a meeting."

Jared sat back down, his face hardening. "Good. We actually have something to discuss with you, too."

He glanced at Daisy, then cleared his throat. "Lola, you’ve worked hard overseas these past few years. But the landscape has shifted. Our core business is domestic now, and frankly, your rigid management style doesn't fit our rhythm anymore."

"So, the four of us have discussed it. We've decided to relieve you of your management duties. We’ll buy out your shares at fair market value."

On the virtual screen, the text went wild:

[Yes! Finally kicking the old maid out!]

[Daisy is the heart of this company anyway. Good riddance!]

[She's going to cry and beg them now, isn't she? She literally built this place from nothing.]

I looked at Jared's self-righteous face, a wave of dark amusement washing over me.

"Buy me out? With what money?"

Victor let out a cold sneer. "We’ve already initiated talks with the Miles Group. Once we land the major municipal contract next month, they’ll inject capital. Buying you out will be pocket change."

Hearing the name of his own conglomerate, Nicholas, who had been standing silently behind me like an elegant shadow, let out a soft, dark laugh.

The sound finally drew the eyes of the four men to him.

"Who are you? This is a private board meeting. Get the hell out," Garrett barked, pointing a finger at him.

Nicholas slowly took off his sunglasses, revealing a face so strikingly handsome yet utterly chilling that it seemed to drop the room's temperature by ten degrees.

He stepped closer, resting a hand casually on the back of my chair, looking down at them like they were bugs under a microscope.

"An outsider?" Nicholas murmured. "The Miles Group you're begging for money happens to be my personal playground."

"And let me introduce myself. I'm Nicholas Miles. I also happen to be Lola's... soon-to-be fiancé."