Chapter 33: Claire’s POV.
Chapter 33: Claire’s POV
After Leo leaves, I share my news with Jasmine and head to bed.
I wake up the next morning to multiple missed calls and text from Jordan. They range from apologies to demanding the blueprints and I decide it’s better to say him head–on than to avoid him entirely.
I call Jordan and wait for him to answer.
“Claire, finally! I’ve been trying to reach you since you left!” I was caught off guard by the false enthusiasm.
“I saw your call, voicemail and messages, Jordan. Can you meet me at the cafe on Maple Street in half an hour?” I hope he didn’t assume that I would be handing over my work
“Sure! I’ll meet you there
!
I hang up, check my email and see that I have over twenty messages from contractors who had reached out to Leo in regards to working with me. I redirect each message to a new email address I created last night for my new independent company.
I was excited for my designs to be made public under my own name.
The thought of having the career I always yearned for and the opportunity to build a name for myself was everything I had ever dreamed of.
I finish my emails to each company and make my way to meet Jordan.
I arrive at the cafe to find Jordan sitting at the same table where he had offered me a position in his company.
I walk up to the table and Jordan quickly rises from his seat to kiss me and I turn my face, accepting only a kiss on the cheek. I didn’t want a kiss altogether but I didn’t want to cause a
scene.
“Claire, I’m relieved that you answered. I wanted to explain myself. I think we got off on the wrong foot; the day you left.
I try to listen to what Jordan is saying but the first thing I notice is the bruising around his
neck.
“I wanted your designs to be successful and I want you to continue being an asset in my company. But without contracting your designs, the company may not last another year. I made some bad decisions and I didn’t realize how much they would affect the company’s reputation until now.” He reaches for my hand but I place it on my lap.
“Jordan, I know about the decisions you’ve made that jeopardized your business. I know about the cheap materials and finishing you used on a few contracts rather than the ones promised on those contracts. I know about the price gouging you’ve done on projects in which you should’ve used the materials the client paid for and I know about the warehouse where you
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Chapter 33: Claire’s POV
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saved me. I know it not only holds 3D models for upcoming projects but it also holds all of the valuable materials you didn’t use like you promised. What I don’t understand is why?” Jordan was smart and the best in our class when we were in school. But most importantly, he was honest and trustworthy.
I just couldn’t understand why or when he shifted.
“Honestly, in Europe I was a complete success. I had grew into this great architect and when I came back, I thought I’d have the same success here but I didn’t. Brick architectural work isn’t common or as attractive here as it is in Europe so I had a harder time finding clients for work.”
of coffee. He says as he looks into his cup
“But I started to get a few clients once I promised to work with the materials under their terms and after a while, I saw the amount of money they used on the materials alone and I don’t know, I thought that I could replace them, still over a luxurious structure and design and resell the materials for additional profit. I started doing that, maybe a month before I saw you on the sidewalk in my neighborhood.”
“Did you ever feel bad about what you were doing?” I wanted to see the Jordan I knew hadn’t been lost completely.
!
“At first, I did but when I saw how much the turn–over was for the materials – I didn’t care anymore. I needed the money.”
“Why did you hire me, knowing that you could potentially ruin my opportunity at a career with your scandals?”
I deserved to know.
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