Just then I heard the sound of heels clicking as someone entered the room.
I turned my head towards the door.
“Hailey Jane Anderson?” Harry exclaimed.
———————————————————
Hailey’s pov ?
I had to cut my trip to California short and return to New York when my long time client and good friend Jack Davis sent me a message saying he needed me to for urgent business.
I rushed from the airport as I was already running late.
My secretary at the law firm I work for, Kate Bennett, handed me the papers as I got in the car.
I opened the file only to find out that I would be working with my husband on this.
Now I regretted coming back. I hadn’t seen him since our last fight, where I walked out of his car.
I went through the file and it seemed like Jack and Nathan were partnering to build a resort. A merger. Quite simple.
Kate filled me in on all I needed to know. The firm I’m working for,
Brown&Smith, was considering a merger with another law firm based in London.
Interesting.
Also, there was a position for senior partner at the firm and I was one of the possibility.
If this merger went well, then I could make that position mine.
I was already on my way up there given the number of clients I’ve brought into the firm and my success rate.
As I entered the conference room, I braced myself to face my husband.
What I did not expect though was to come face to face with my former fling, Harry Lawrence.
Hailey” Jack got up to greet me.
“I’m glad you could make it on such a short notice.
How was the flight?” He asked as he gave me a small hug.
“Long and boring.” I told him. Then I looked at my former fling and good friend more like only friend.
He had a face splitting grin, like our last conversation two years ago was forgotten.
We were competitors, then we became friends, then we were friends with benefits and when it tried to go beyond that, we snapped.
The last time we saw each other was two years ago, before he left for London, and the meeting wasn’t very pleasant.
“Harry” I smiled at him, trying to be professional.
But the truth was I was elated to see him. God knows how much I missed him, how many times I wanted to reach out to me, to meet him.
But every time I held back. Our relationship was complicated, sure, but there still was a place in my heart for him.
He took my outstretched hand and instead of shaking it, he kissed it.
“My lady” came his swift response.
“Such a gentleman” I chuckled.
“Especially in bed, but you already know that” he whispered but it wasn’t exactly hush and I’m hoping that Nathan didn’t hear. I just smirked at him.
“I see you two know each other,” Jack commented on our exchange.
“We went to Harvard law together” I told Jack.
“Harry was always second in class and I was what?
Oh yeah that’s right, first.” I added, refueling our rivalry.
“Oh Hails, what is my success rate against yours in the real world, where we practice real law.”
He shot back. “Hope you have come with your best today.
Wouldn’t want to go home second best.”
“Oh Harry, there shouldn’t be any losers or winners in a merger,” I told him “only a happy new couple.”
“True” Jack chuckled, amused by our banter. Nathan however was a different story. He sat there looking cold and emotionless.
I turned to him and Jack makes the introduction.
“Mr Rodriguez, meet Ms Anderson” Jack introduced us, like we needed to be introduced. “Hailey, this is Mr Nathaniel Rodriguez.”
We shook hands, and sat down, not giving away the fact that we knew each other.
With that we begin our meeting.
Harry pulls out his file while I pull out mine.
I used some big words in there” Harry continued, “try not to be intimidated”
“Over exaggeration is not a big word Harry” I told him.
“It isn’t?”
“I can hardly wait to see the work of a senior partner” I said in reference to his new promotion.
“I see my promotion popped up on your ‘Harry Lawrence daily’ Google alert. Stalking much?”
“You wish” I smirked at him as we begin our meeting.
———————
Nathan’s pov ?
As Hailey entered the room and greeted the other men, I took the time to recover from the shock and check her out.
Wait what? No I didn’t mean it like that! All I was saying was that she looked good in her cream coloured dress, with her hair in a bun and pump heels.
As she turned towards Harry and they greeted each other it became evident that they knew each other.
When he kissed her hand, my body stiffened.
“Such a gentleman” Hailey chuckled at his actions.
“Especially in bed, but you already know that” he whispered but I heard it anyway.
I don’t know why, but I didn’t like that. I just wanted to remove my wife’s hand from his grip and pull her to me.
Hailey informed Mr Davis that they went to law school together, but I knew there was something more than that.
Were they lovers? Perhaps still dating? But Harry just returned from London last week and Hailey was in California then.
So they couldn’t have met already. What was their relationship? Ahh.
So many questions swarmed my mind.
They took digs at each other but there was no malice or I’ll intent there, more like two friends having a playful banter, but it wasn’t all friendly.
There was something in the way they were comfortable with each other, looked at each other that led me to believe there was something more.
I pushed this all aside and concentrated on the meeting.
………….
I must admit that Hailey was good and really professional.
She was formal and didn’t acknowledge me as anything outside of our business relationship.
Nothing to give away the fact that we already knew each other.
She acted like a complete stranger and it annoyed me for some strange reason.
She seemed to have a good relationship with her client Mr Davis and my attorney Mr Lawrence,
leaving me to feel like an intruder during their little jokes and friendly banter. ?
Again I was thinking about her relationship with Harry.
At around 12:00 noon, the meeting came to an end.
We stood up and said goodbyes. As I was about to leave the room, Mr Davis called me back in for a private word as our attorneys left.
While I was exiting the room I couldn’t help but overhear a part of the conversation between Harry and Hailey who were in the lobby.
“…Maybe I could indulge you in breakfast” Harry was saying more like flirting.
“I already had breakfast” she told him, but there was this smile on her face as they spoke that irritated me.
I was talking about tomorrow morning, my kitchen or yours,” he responded in a low, seductive tone, “after an adventurous night.”
I don’t know why, but I felt something I shouldn’t have.
Something like wanting to punch my trusted attorney in the face.
Along with being a well known lawyer, Harry was also a well known playboy. ??
A womanizer.
He had extremely good looks that made women throw themselves at him.
And now he was hitting on my wife. But Hailey just smirked.
“As tempting as that sounds,” she licked her lips, “maybe another time.”
With that she walked away but not before turning around to give him a naughty wink, drawing a chuckle from him.
She may have turned his request down but she was still flirting with him.
It was clear from the way she was behaving with him.
I was annoyed, don’t know why.
I headed to the exit, hoping to have a conversation with Hailey.
I wanted her to come live in the mansion with me.
I couldn’t bear the questions my grandparents would throw my way otherwise.
Hailey” I called as I reached the parking lot and saw her chauffeur hold the door open for her. She turned around.
“Mr Rodriguez” she said still in her formal tone.
Wasn’t so formal when she was flirting with my attorney in the hotel lobby just now. ?
“Come, let’s go home together.” I told her, beckoning her to my car.
“I have my own car, Mr Rodriguez”
“You can drop the act and call me Nathan now, no one is here,” I snapped. “And you’re coming to the mansion with me.”
“Actually, I am going to my office now” she informed me.
“Will you come to the mansion after work?” I asked her. “You are supposed to be living with me afterall.”
“I’ll think about it” she said dismissively.
“What do you mean, ‘you’ll think about it’?” I was angry now.
“You are my wife and you’re supposed to be living with me.”
“Careful now, wouldn’t want everyone to know, do we??
” She whisper yelled. “As for coming back with you, what’s in it for me?”
“What do you mean? You’re my wife, it’s what you signed up for.”
I said but this time slowly so no one could hear us.
“Your paper wife,” she retorted. ????
“What do you want from me?” I sighed, giving up.
She is a good lawyer, there’s no doubt. What does she want from me?
Why is she acting like this? Can’t she just come home?
“Let’s talk this out over dinner tonight?” I asked her. “I’ll pick out a restaurant.’
“I have plans for tonight” she told me. “Tomorrow?”
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