CHAPTER SIXTY–FIVE- A Broken Heart, A Broken Vow
“Ryan,
(“she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Yes, it’s gorgeous out here.”
He came to stand beside her, close enough that she could smell his expensive cologne. For a moment, they stood in comfortable silence, watching the moonlight dance on the waves.
“So,” Ryan said finally, “how are things going with the presentation? You and Aiden making good progress?”
Lantra besitated, unsure how much to reveal “We’re… getting there. Aiden’s a bit nervous, but his technical knowledge is invaluable.”
Ryan nodded thoughtfully. “Alden’s b
i brilliant, but he can be a bit high strung. I
I’m glad he has you to balance him out.”
“Thanks,” Laura said, warmth spreading through her chest at the compliment. “I just hope we can pull it all together in time.”
Ryan turned to face her, his expression serious. “Laura, I wouldn’t have put you on this project if I didn’t think you could handle it. I have faith in you”
Their eyes met, and for a moment, Laura felt a spark of the old connection they’d once shared. But then Ryan stepped back, breaking the spell
“Well, I should head back in. Julia will be wondering where I’ve gone off to,” he said with a small laugh. “Don’t stay out too late. Big
day tomorrow.”
As Ryan walked away, Laura remained on the deck, her mind whirling. Eventually, she made her way back to her cabin, collapsing onto
the plush bed.
As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, Laura’s thoughts raced. The presentation, Julia’s hostility, Aiden’s nervousness, and Ryan’s confusing signals all swirled in her mind. Despite her exhaustion, sleep seemed impossible.
In the quiet darkness of her cabin, Laura’s imagination began to wander. She found herself thinking of Ryan – his kind words on the deck, the way he’d looked at her. In her mind’s eye, she saw him returning to her cabin, taking her in his arms, his lips meeting hers in a passionate kiss. Her heart raced as she imagined his hands roaming her body, their kisses deepening….
Laura shook her head, forcing the fantasy away. This was a business trip, she reminded herself sternly. She needed to focus on the presentation, not indulge in impossible daydreams about her boss.
Laura’s eyes fluttered open as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the yacht’s porthole. She groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and willing her brain to kickstart. The gentle rocking of the boat reminded her where she was and what was at stake.
She dragged herself out of bed and into the en–suite bathroom, wincing at her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles under her eyes betrayed her restless night. Laura grabbed her toothbrush, squeezing a dollop of toothpaste onto it.
As she brushed, her mind raced through the day’s to–do list. Finalize the presentation. Calm Aiden down. Somehow impress a bunch of billionaires. And try not to let Julia’s backhanded comments get under her skin.
She spat into the sink, rinsing her mouth. “You’ve got this,” she told her reflection, trying to inject some confidence into her voice. It didn’t quite work
Dressed in a crisp white blouse and navy slacks, Laura made her way to the yacht’s business center. She pushed open the door, ready to dive into work, only to stop short at the sight before her.
Aiden sat hunched over a laptop, surrounded by a sea of crumpled papers. His hair stuck up at odd angles, and his eyes were red- rimmed behind his glasses. He looked up as Laura entered, his expression a mix of panic and exhaustion.
“Laura!” he exclaimed, his voice hoarse. “Thank god you’re here. I’ve been up all night, and I think I’ve made a terrible mistake with the financial projections. And don’t even get me started on the TECH algorithm explanation – it’s all wrong, all of it!”
Laura took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. “Okay, Aiden. Let’s take this one step at a time. First, when was the last time you slept?”
Aiden blinked owlishly. “Slept? L… I’m not sure. What time i
“It’s 7:30 in the morning,” Laura said gently. “Have you been here all night?”
Aiden nodded miserably. “I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw all the ways this presentation could go wrong. Sol Thought I’d just review a few things, but then I started noticing errors, and before I knew it..”
Laura placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Aiden, listen to me. You’re exhausted, and that’s making everything seem worse than it is. Let’s look at what you’ve done, okay?”
For the next hour, Laura patiently went through Aiden’s night’s work. Much of it was actually fine – his sleep–deprived brain had
CHAPTER DA
blown small issues out of proportion. She corrected what needed fixing and reassured him about the rest.
“See?” she said, showing him the revised slides. “The financial projections were mostly correct. You just transposed a couple of numbers here. And the TECH algorithm explanation is solid–we just need to simplify it a bit for the non–technical audience.”
Aiden slumped in his chair, relief washing over his face. “You’re right. God, I feel so stupid. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Hey, no beating yourself up,” Laura said firmly. “This is a high–pressure situation. It’s normal to feel stressed. But next time, please get some sleep instead of pulling an all–nighter, okay?”
Aiden nodded sheepishly. “Thanks, Laura. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Just then, the door opened, and Ryan walked in, looking fresh and impeccable in a casual button–down and slacks.
“Good morning, team!” he said cheerfully. “How’s the presentation coming along?”
Aiden visibly tensed, his earlier calm evaporating. As he turned to grab some papers to show Ryan, his elbow caught the edge of his coffee mug. Laura watched in horror as the dark liquid spilled across their freshly organized notes.
“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Aiden muttered, frantically trying to save the sodden papers.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Ryan said, quickly grabbing some napkins from a nearby dispenser. “Let’s get this cleaned up.”
Laura joined in, and between the three of them, they managed to salvage most of the notes. Ryan’s calm demeanor seemed to help, though Aiden still looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
As they finished cleaning up, Ryan straightened, a easy smile on his face. “Listen, Julia and I are hosting a little lunch up on the sun deck for some of Rothschild’s associates. Why don’t you both join us? It could be a good chance to network, get a feel for what they’re looking for.”
Laura nodded. “That sounds great, thanks Ryan.”
But Aiden shook his head. “… I think I should keep working. There’s still so much to do…”
Ryan looked concerned but didn’t push. “Alright, if you’re sure. Laura, we’ll see you up there in about an hour?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Laura replied, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach at Ryan’s smile.
An hour later, Laura stepped onto the sun deck, blinking in the bright light. The deck was set up with several small tables, each shaded by a large umbrella. Well–dressed men and women milled about, champagne flutes in hand.
Julia spotted her immediately, gliding over with a practiced smile. “Laura, darling, so glad you could join us,” she said, air–kissing Laura’s cheeks. “Although, are you sure that’s the best outfit for a luncheon? It’s a bit… office, don’t you
think?
Laura forced a smile. “I wanted to be prepared in case anyone had questions about our work.”
“How diligent of you,” Julia said, her tone making it sound less than complimentary. “Well, come along. There are some people you simply must meet.”
