He knew exactly what was bothering Danielle.
Moments ago, they’d been locked in a power struggle with the government over control of a project—tense enough that both sides had signed a high-stakes agreement. No one walked away feeling friendly.
Danielle didn’t answer. Instead, she turned to Nash. “What time? We’ll be there.”
“Six o’clock,” Nash replied, then left.
As soon as the door closed, Danielle let out a long, weary sigh.
Gian kept one hand on the wheel, his voice low and steady. “We just signed a bet-the-company deal and everyone left on bad terms. Now they’re inviting us to dinner—what’s that supposed to mean?”
Is it supposed to show how gracious they are?
It’s as if the project was theirs all along.
Just the thought of this dinner made her sick, whether she went or not.
Alexander was always pushing things too far.
“They say a day of marriage earns a hundred days of kindness, but he’s shown you—”
Not a shred of it. In fact, he’s never pulled his punches.
Danielle couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.
To Alexander, she’d never been a wife. More like a live-in housekeeper—a housekeeper he could take to bed when convenient.
She shrugged it off, curling her lips into a careless smile. “Sooner or later, we have to deal with them.”
Once this project wrapped, Ninesky would be playing in a new league. When they went public, they’d finally have the freedom to choose their own partners.
This government contract was massive—far too big for Ninesky to take on alone.
The proposal binder alone weighed over twenty pounds.
Gian glanced at her. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”
Danielle shot him a look, her smile layered with meaning. “I only agreed because Nash asked. Did you hear me actually say I’d go?”
Gian hesitated, then realization dawned.
They were swamped with work. Nash’s attitude just now made it clear—if they said no, he wouldn’t push it.
She’d simply let the conversation drag on, making a token promise.
He checked his watch. “Contact them, put together the materials, and set up a meeting.”
Danielle nodded.
Gian stepped out to make the call. Right then, Danielle’s phone rang.
It was Alexander.
The moment she answered, his voice was cool and detached. “When are you coming?”
Danielle could picture his cold expression even through the phone.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Davidson. Something came up last minute. I won’t be able to make it.”
Her tone was polite, with not a single loose thread to pull.
On the other end, Alexander’s brow furrowed.
But before he could say anything more, Danielle hung up.
Liam, watching Alexander lower his phone, asked, “Is she coming?”
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