Chapter 31
The Hotel Key
She waves him off. “No worries. It was spur of the moment anyway.” Amara lays her diamond-clad hand on my shoulder, and Nakamura’s eyes track the movement. I remain stiff in my seat as a burning sensation in my gut surges to life.
“I’d say. I never knew you two were together, although my wife had her suspicions. Part of me is annoyed she was right this entire time.”
“Your wife is a smart woman,” Amara says.
“How did you two keep it a secret for this long?”
“You know Adrian. He always keeps his business and personal life separate.”
“Don’t I know it. He wouldn’t even tell me his favorite color when I asked him.”
“Green like a crisp hundred-dollar bill,” she responds with a grin.
The urge to roll my eyes nearly overtakes me.
“Is that right?” Nakamura’s eyes brighten as he looks at me.
“Yes.” No.
Amara gives my shoulder a pat of approval. Years ago, when Amara asked me about my favorite color, I told her I didn’t have one. Naturally, given her frequent bouts of insanity, she adopted one for me. It’s become a running joke on her end where every gift-giving occasion includes something green, as if oversaturating me with the color will make me like it.
It doesn’t. If anything, it always reminds me of her.
“Well, I won’t take up too much of your time. But while I have both of you here, I would like to discuss a unique opportunity regarding the Everland Tokyo proposal.”
This is what you’ve been waiting for. My breath stalls in my lungs as I wait for him to continue.
“I would like to move forward with the project on a few conditions.”
I don’t blink. I don’t smile. I don’t do anything but stare into the camera, wondering how this proposal won him over compared to the others.
What changed?
Who gives a shit? All that matters is he wants to work together. “Fantastic. The Sterling Company would be excited to work with you and turn Everland Tokyo into a reality.”
He nods. “I am excited as well. But I would like you to iron out a few last details before I present the deal to the board.”
“Of course. Whatever you need,” I reply despite the tiny tic in Amara’s jaw through the camera.
Nakamura claps his hands together as he reviews the changes he would like me to address, including Japanese sponsors he wants brought on to the project. “Great. Will it be too much trouble to ask for an updated proposal with a project timeline so I can share it with the company board this Friday?”
The hand on my shoulder tightens around the tendons, but Amara remains quiet.
“No trouble at all.”
“Fantastic. I knew you would be up to the challenge.”
I’d be an idiot not to. This project is supposed to be my first big move as the future CEO, and I didn’t spend the last two years of my life working weeknights and weekends to squander it.
Amara’s nails dig into the fabric of my suit. I look up at the computer screen to find her face devoid of any kind of emotion, which is a warning sign.
Her anger is warranted but some things take precedence. Opportunities aren’t a matter of luck, but rather hard work and sacrifices. A few more days on the clock won’t kill her. She will have plenty of chances to watch animals shit, fuck, and sleep, as long as we accomplish Nakamura’s request first.
Nakamura nods. “I look forward to hearing from you soon.”
The moment he hangs up, Amara rips her hand away from me.
“You find me that abhorrent?” I glare at her from over my shoulder.
Her eyes narrow. “You don’t want my hands anywhere near your neck right now.”
“I didn’t know that was your thing.”
“Murder?”
“Kinks.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re breaking a rule.”
“Which one?”
“No flirting.”
“Interesting. Are we just adding rules as we go now?”
“Yes, seeing as there is no how-to manual on faking a marriage.”
“Does that make you feel better?” I ask in a bored voice.
Her brows pull together. “What?”
“Putting up a wall between us when things get too real for you.”
She laughs, in a deep and wheezy way that borders on obnoxious. “I find it fascinating how you can say that with a straight face given how you treat everyone.”
I shoot her a blank look. “I don’t treat you like everyone else.”
She knows more about me than my own brothers. For her to discount that…it raises my blood pressure.
“You’re right.”
The tense breath I was holding releases from my lungs. She finally gets it.
She continues, “There are moments you treat me great. I’d be stupid to deny that. But there are plenty of times when I feel like I don’t matter. That my needs are merely collateral damage in your pursuit of whatever you think will make you happy.”
I want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she starts making sense. Instead, I keep my hands to myself as I nod. “I see.”
“You really don’t.” She offers me a tight smile that seems all wrong. “I planned this trip thinking we could have fun together. I thought…” She laughs, but it sounds off. “I don’t know what I thought honestly, but I’m mad at myself for being surprised that all this even happened. I’m even more disappointed that I thought your work would only be kept to one day.”
The victory I felt from Nakamura’s meeting disappears at her expression. Something about it raises every alarm in my head. “Amara…”
She holds up a hand. “It’s fine. I’m going to take a walk.”
“No, you’re not.” We are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by wild animals and darkness. I don’t give a shit how angry she is. I’ll be damned if I let her walk out.
She raises her chin with defiance. “I didn’t ask for your permission.”
The back of my neck heats. “Then as your boss, I’m ordering you to get started on the updates Nakamura wants. Time is of the essence.”
Her entire body tenses. “Of course. I’ll get right on that as soon as I submit my two weeks’ notice, asshole.”
Oh, fuck. She takes advantage of my stunned state and leaves the suite before I have a chance to stop her. The front door rattles as she slams it behind her.
Good luck trying to undo this mess.