Chereads / Another Man's Treasure / Chapter 5 - Time Is Money

Chapter 5 - Time Is Money

Nathan~~

"And then what happened?"

Opening my office door, I walk towards my desk with my personal assistant and friend Sebastian following behind.

"Then she just left. Rambled on about how she doesn't want to get pregnant, but I'm pretty sure I used protection."

"Well it's better safe than sorry, right?" He says.

I look up at him taking a seat opposite me. "What did I tell you Friday? I told you I didn't want to go."

Seb leans forward, frowning. "You wanted me to leave you alone while you felt sorry for yourself? That low-life whore really got to you, Nathan."

I sigh. "Don't call her that, yeah sure she did some bad-"

"She cheated on you. In your own fucking house, with some bumb ass artist that's name sounds like expired Italian cheese. Don't feel sorry for her man."

Yeah, walking in on my fiancée having sex with some guy in my bed was not a pleasant scene. Right then and there I called the wedding off and broke up with her. Seeing her leave with tears in her eyes was just pathetic.

"I don't feel sorry for her. You know I was never inlove with her, her parents insisted on us getting married and I agreed. She wasn't what I wanted but we had our moments."

In this industry everything is about power and money, faking it for the press even if you hate it. I didn't hate her, I just wasn't inlove with her.

But I'm actually glad Amelia showed her true colors, the sooner it ended the better for the both of us to stop wasting each other's time. And time is money.

"Sounds like Amelia was just in it for the money. I'm telling you man you have to be careful with who you meet. People don't see you as a normal person. You never know if that chick you slept with was also in it for the money." He comfortably leans back into the leather chair. "You know her name?"

I begin opening some folders in front of me. "Madison."

"Well I have to say, Madison is really beautiful." I look up at my friend and see him smiling to himself.

I chuckle. "Stop that." Then a memory from Friday night came down on me. "Who were you with Friday night? You were talking to some brunette?"

Sebastian taps his chin, in thinking mode. "Oh, I don't remember her name, but all I remember is she tried sucking me off in the back seat of my car."

My eyes went wide, mouth open. "What?"

He throws his hands in the air. "Look who's talking. You fucked someone you don't even know."

I couldn't help laughing. "At least I know her name."

With a sly smirk on Sebastian's face, he leans in. "Would you do it all over again?"

I don't say anything.

Would I?

Maybe?

"Are you blushing?" He laughs. "Aww Nathan is blushing, he's inloveee." Seb sings.

And time is money.

I laugh it off, massaging my temple. "Can you leave? And don't forget my black-"

"Black coffee with a little bit of creamer and one teaspoon of sugar. Don't worry, I got you. You make it sound like I only started here yesterday. " He completes.

"If you weren't so good at your job I'd fire you, because you're so annoying."

"Nathan is inloveee."

I ignore him. "Ask Tracy to make a report of all the investments we did last month. I want to see its ratings, and also-"

"You liked it didn't you?"

"And tell her to contact Mr. Anderson for me. We need to set up a meeting for the Greenwood Hotel project soon."

"I bet she enjoyed it-"

I chuckle. "1. 2..."

"Fine, I'm leaving. I'll be right on it boss." Seb surrenders stands up and heads for the door, mumbling on his way out. "Can't believe my boss is actually inlove."

"I'm not." I whisper to myself.

We just hooked up, that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't even remember most of Friday night, and maybe she is right. Maybe we won't see each other again.

But all weekend I couldn't stop thinking about her.

Madison Monroe.

Seb is right. She is beautiful.

Wish I can remember our night together, but oh well.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the office door, I look up and see my secretary Tracy.

"Sorry to bother you Mr. Lane but Mr. John is here to see you." Her rich british accent rings in my ears.

"Is he in the board meeting room?"

She nods. "Yes, he is. He's says it's very urgent."

I sigh. "I'll be right out. Thank you Tracy."

She gives me a warm smile and leaves.

What does this man wants now?

Stepping out of my office, I make my way to the meeting room passing Tracy's front desk, where she's now talking on the office phone. When she sees me she gives me a thumbs up. Unlike Seb she is better at being professional at work, both of them are good friends of mine.

I know what you're thinking, that I'm not cold and tough enough on my employees. I am, but in reality kindness and respect always comes first. My father built this company from the ground up, and he taught me that respect goes both ways. That's how you will succeed.

But if someone mess with me, I will surely destroy them.

With a straight face, I walk in the room and see him sitting there deep in thought.

I clear my throat getting his full attention.

"Nathan." Amelia's father says.

I nod. "John."

I take a seat at the other end of the long glass table. "May I ask why you're here? You could've at least called me saying you wanted to talk."

He gulps. "I'm here to apologize for my daughter's impulsive actions. What she did was-"

"Wrong? Let me tell you something John, your daughter and I weren't in love with each other so what she did didn't really affect me. I'm just pissed we wasted each other's time for a year." I say straightforwardly.

"Well, she is deeply saddened and wishes to still be with you. Maybe the two of you can look past this and work things out?"

I frown. "Is that what she wants, or is that what you want?" The hard look on my face softens. "Look John, I only agreed to marry your daughter because I knew it would help your company and because you're a great friend of my father, but I'm not going back to her."

John's face reddens in anger. "What about this company, huh? You need an heir too, and Amelia is willing to fix her mistakes."

Do I see Amelia as the mother of my future child, my heir?

Hell no.

I shake my head. "You're right. This company will need an heir someday, but I'm not in a hurry."

"What would your father think of this huh? Your brother?" He asks bitterly.

The mention of my brother makes me want to beat his aged face up.

And that's when I stand up. "I know you're her father, but Amelia is a grown woman that can apologize for her own mistakes. It's the least she can do after what she did to me."

John's nose flares.

"Are we done here?" I ask raising a brow. "I have a company to get back to."

After a few seconds, he nods. I look at him one last time before straightening my suit and turning around to leave.

He really thinks he's going to win me over? Ha!

I'd like to see him try.

...

Now at home, sitting with the ratings from last months investments, Lidith enters the dining room and places a plate of her infamous chicken fajitas in front of me.

That is going to taste amazing.

"No work at the table Mr. Lane." She says smiling warmly.

I chuckle as I put aside the documents, reminding myself to finish them later. "Thank you, Lidith."

She nods and just as she is about to leave I ask. "Did you eat already?"

She turns around. "Yes, I already did." I nod. "Enjoy your meal, goodnight."

"Goodnight. Thanks once again"

She walks off to her room that's here downstairs.

Lidith has been my housekeeper for quite some time now. I trust her, and she makes me feel comfortable in my own home. If a bunch of maids was surrounding me 24/7 I'd probably go crazy. I like my space.

I begin digging into the amazing dish in front of me, and think about what happened Friday afternoon when I arrived early from work (which only happens once in a blue moon) and found my ex riding some dude in my bed.

Lidith wasn't home because Fridays and Tuesdays is her days off, and Amelia took advantage of that.

Wow, she really did me like that.

I still can't-

Suddenly my phone goes off, signaling that I received a text. I contemplate if I should answer or not. I just wanted to eat my food in peace. Jeez.

But I reach for it on the table anyway and see that it's Sebastian. I open it.

-You have to see this.

There's a link underneath, and I tap on it. It sends me to a newspaper article that's title says:

Nathan Lane and Amelia Brooke call it quits.

"What the hell?" I mutter. I continue to read on.

After a year of dating, five months ago Mr. Lane proposed to Miss Amelia and we were so thrilled for the both of them. But unfortunately the once lovely couple called it quits last week. Some speculate that Amelia actually cheated on him and that is why Nathan Lane was spotted at the luxurious Ace of Clubs bar downtown, maybe trying to drown his sadness?

He was also seen later that night leaving the bar with some mystery girl, we don't know who she is, but maybe she's Nathan's new girlfriend or they just hooked up for the night?

Nathan Lane is a man of honor and isn't known for doing scandalous things like this, but it looks like

Read more...

I don't tap for more, because I'm so in shock.

What the fuck?

-How do they know about this? I text Seb.

He replies back fast. -I don't know, but I'll figure it out. Don't worry.

Oh, I'm worried. They brought Madison in this too.

I try calming myself down as a take deep breaths, and then Sebastian's voice rings in my head from this morning.

I'm telling you man you have to be careful with who you meet. People don't see you as a normal person.

I wish I was.

I wish I was normal.

This is not where I belong.

Sometimes I forget who I am. Maybe because I miss my old self, my carefree self.

But this is who I am now, and I can't change that even if I tried.