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Chapter 19
My heart raced, threatening to spill out all the secrets buried deep in my soul. I quickly pushed away all the thoughts and stood at some distance from that son and father duo. I couldn’t afford any drama here.
As I tended to my Jane, Zoe asked me,
“You are the same as me. Can you be my mom?”
His query caught me off guard, I found myself at a loss for words in response.
Jane expressed her wish for Leo to be her dad earlier, and now, Zoe wanted me to be his
mommy.
What the hell was going on there?
However, Jane didn’t like Zoe’s request, she was clearly upset. Spreading her arms, she stood in front of me and replied to him on my behalf.
“Don’t you have a mom, Zoe? This is my mommy!”
Zoe’s adorable face lost all of its colors in a split second as he looked down sadly, shaking
his head.
“No, I don’t have a mom!”
His piteous cry for help ached my heart, I quickly stepped in to stop
“Bad manners, Jane. Please don’t behave rudely.”
their arguments.
Zoe was just a child, yearning for a mother’s love, it wasn’t his fault to ask a harmless query. I sympathized with his situation as he didn’t seem close to Leo. He didn’t even hug his son after finding him.
Jane acted like a good girl and apologized to Zoe; she offered him candy as well.
“I am sorry, Zoe.”
Chapter 19
Zoe refused to take that candy and talked like an adult.
“We shouldn’t eat candy, Jane. It can cause a toothache.”
While the two kids were bickering, I took this chance to express my gratitude to Leo.
“Thank you so much for helping me find my Jane. I sincerely appreciate it.”
Leo smiled in acknowledgement; his tone was soft in response.
“I am glad to help you, Miss Becker.”
After this, some of the tension between us eased. Just like a true businessman, Leo seized this opportunity and requested.
“I would like to sign with your company for this season, Miss Becker.”
His request turned my mouth sour, freezing my face expressions in a heartbeat. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him.
Leo’s help, his changed attitude, and treating me tenderly after Melody’s drama, all this was a play. Everything he did had an ulterior motive. He was such a cunning fox!
As I didn’t utter a single word and looked at the door to leave, he tried to convince me with his reasoning.
“I really admire your company’s ability to build up a sports star, Miss Becker. But hockey is a new area for you. And unfortunately, you don’t have much public recognition in this
Lakon town.”
After counting my company’s shortcomings, he pointed out the issues for me and then gave me solutions like an angel.
“The public interest in your company isn’t high yet, Miss Becker. Sign me for this season, my involvement would be a win–win situation for both of us.”
Oh, really?
I could understand where Leo was coming from, he was a typical businessman who was trying to strike a deal with a strong establishment.
Harker Husband’s Regret
Cupter 19
He has been investing in sports equipment lately, but his business needed a great push which would only be provided by my company.
I was new in Lakon city, and everyone had their eyes fixed on my every single move. The news of his signing a contract with my company would create a buzz in the business community, boosting his visibility as an investor.
It would be a great step for the promotion of both enterprises.
Honestly speaking, I was surprised by the change in his principles. Leo was used to being arrogant, his self–made mindset was something he was proud of.
He hated taking favors from his rich buddies as he was from a mediocre background.
I still remembered that once I had asked my parents to pull some strings for Leo, he was a newbie at the time. Working with a renowned company could get him a shot at big competition, a way to showcase his potential.
My dad used his connections to prepare a contract, and when I gave it to Leo, he pushed it aside like trash.
“How dare you insult me like this, Laura? Do you think that I am a failure, who can’t achieve anything on his own? I don’t need your piggyback ride for success!”
My heart shattered to see his rude attitude, as instead of being grateful for my favor, he thought that I had tried to hurt his pride. He refused to talk to me and ignored me completely at school, so I went to apologize at his house.
It was December, heavy snowfall and harsh Winter had covered our whole town with white blanket. The temperature was minus three degrees Celsius (26.6F) that evening when I reached his home and knocked at his door.
Guess what he did?
Not only did he ignore my call for hours but pretended not to be at home. I had to stand in the cold for the entire evening before he opened the door for me!
The bitterness of that incident still haunted me, making me feel stupid that I wasted my golden years to be in his good books. Ironically, he accepted the deal and took part in the competition later. That was the very first competition that skyrocketed his fame.
Chapter 19
The fatigue of years settled in as I glanced at his face and weighed the pros and cons of his offer. Being emotional could end in loss of business and I had planned a lot to make him
pay.
I’ll ensure that those who rise too high come crashing down.
I replied to him calmly.
“Come to my office at 10:00 am tomorrow, Mr. Leo!”
