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Chapter 7

Auden's POV

I sat behind my mahogany desk, a tower of papers looming in front of me. My shoulders are hunched forward, as my eyes narrowed in concentration. A pen was clenched in my hand, as I scribbled furiously on a notepad.

I was lost in thought, oblivious to the world around me. My hair was disheveled, the door opened as Joyce walked in with a file in her hands, her face looked worried as if contemplating whether to tell me something or not.

“We finally secured a meeting with the new CEO, Sir.” I raised my gaze to her, my eyes boring into her for an answer,

“What happened?”

She bit her lip, a nervous habit that she couldn't seem to break.

Her brow was furrowed, her forehead creased with worry. Her eyes darted around the room, avoiding my gaze. She stood with her arms crossed in front of her, her body language tense and closed off.

She knew she looked nervous, but she couldn't seem to help it. She was dreading the conversation that was about to happen, and it showed in every inch of her body.

“Your ex-wife is the new CEO, Sir”. he finally said, looking at me, instantly my body went cold,

What do you mean by "Charlotte is the new CEO of Anchor Freight Shipping Company?” I yelled banging on the desk making her flinch.

I stared blankly at her, my mind reeling from the news she had just given me. I couldn't believe that my ex-wife had been named the new CEO, I was still trying to process the implications of this news.

I was feeling a mix of emotions - anger, jealousy, and even a bit of admiration. But most of all, I felt numb,

“I just got a call from the head department, today was her introduction as the new CEO of the company and she's trying to bring it back to its feet,” Joyce explained, biting her lips in anxiety,

If Charlotte was the new CEO then it meant there was a fire on the mountain and I had to quench this fire before it burned me.

“What time is the meeting?”

“9 am, Sir.” She added.

“Good, prepare a meeting with her ASAP! Tell her secretary I need to talk to her.” Joyce's gaze flickered.

“Sir?”

“Do as I say!” I yelled, she Instantly turned leaving the office.

I shifted in my chair, unable to find a comfortable position. I immediately loosen my necktie, trying to breathe.

The door opened again and Joyce walked in, I waited patiently for her to explain, and when she spoke.

“Ma'am Charlotte requested you to see her at the cafe next to the company building.” That was better, I grabbed my jacket and headed downstairs to the lobby, entered the car, and drove to the cafe. I needed an explanation for all this drama.

I got to the cafe, it was evening already, and the sun was setting. The sky was ablaze with color, the setting sun painting the horizon in shades of orange, pink, and purple. The clouds were tinged with gold, and the whole sky seemed to glow with a warm, radiant light.

It was as if the whole world had been dipped in a pot of molten lava, the colors so rich and vivid that it seemed almost unreal. The air was warm and still, the only sound was the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze.

I sat down waiting patiently for Charlotte, as I ordered a glass of orange juice for the both of us.

Just then, She walked through the door, her heels clicking on the tile floor. All heads turned to watch her, and it was easy to see why.

She was radiant, her beauty almost blinding in its intensity, which makes me wonder why I was just realizing this after our divorce. Her hair was glossy and dark, her skin glowing with health. She wore a simple black dress, but it hugged her curves in a way that made it seem like the most glamorous outfit in the world.

She raised her gaze to meet mine, her brows twitched in displeasure, she was not happy to be here,

I stood up almost immediately, as I volunteered to move the chair for her to sit like a perfect gentleman would but she bluntly refused,

“I can handle myself,” her voice rumbled in displeasure, pulling the chair and then sitting down. I immediately sat down. I couldn't help it but was surprised at her sudden change.

There was not a trace of nervousness on her face, not a hint of anxiety in her body language. She stood tall and straight, her eyes clear and focused. Her expression was neutral, then took deep breaths before saying,

“You requested to see me,” her tone in the most formal way he could have imagined.

“Are we using honorifics now, Charlotte?” I asked, and she shot me a glare, she was here for business and not for child's play.

“I don't address my client names. So it's Ms. Knowles to you now since I'm no longer Mrs. Anderson.” She says coldly looking at me, confused and not knowing what to say,

“About the Anchor Freight-”

“It is not for sale.” She cut me off, with a deep tone, her eyes darkening as she spoke.

“We were working towards selling it,” she was calm like waiting to strike,

“That was Amelia. This is Teresa.” She coldly reminded me, I frowned,

“This is not how businesses are-"

“Are you going to tell me what to do? It's my company and I do whatever I deem fit. This is not our marriage where I'm being tossed about like trash. “ She grabbed her purse.

“I'm guessing you understand. You're smart” she cursed under her breath.

“Good day, Mr. Anderson.” She turned to leave when I held her by the wrist stopping her from leaving.

“We're not done yet,” I said to her, she looked at then scoffed saying,

“This meeting is over.” She yanked my hand away and walked out of the cafe leaving me wallowing in my thoughts.

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