Chapter 10 - Lucky After All
Three months later.
The autumn leaves in Central Park had turned brilliant shades of crimson and gold. Lauren sat on a bench near the Bethesda Fountain, sipping a warm spiced chai, reviewing the incorporation documents on her tablet.
She hadn't been blacklisted. In fact, three boutique private equity firms had entered a bidding war to hire her the moment her non-compete expired. But instead of jumping back into the corporate rat race, she had partnered with Emma to launch their own independent advisory firm: Mitchell & Partners. They already had two mid-market tech firms signed on as anchor clients. She was her own boss.
""Excuse me. Is this seat taken?""
A familiar, low baritone voice sent an immediate rush of warmth straight to Lauren’s core.
She looked up.
Ryan was standing on the cobblestone path. But he wasn't wearing his Brioni armor. He wore a soft charcoal cashmere sweater, dark jeans, and leather boots. His hands were shoved in his pockets, and the tension that used to permanently etch his brow was completely gone.
""Mr. Calloway,"" Lauren said, a slow, teasing smile playing on her lips. ""Aren't you supposed to be running a multi-billion-dollar empire right now?""
""I stepped down as CEO two weeks ago,"" Ryan replied casually, taking a seat beside her on the green wooden bench.
Lauren nearly choked on her tea. ""You did what?""
""I transitioned to Chairman of the Board,"" he said, turning his body toward her, his grey eyes softening with an affection he no longer had to hide. ""I handed the day-to-day operations to my COO. I spent fifteen years building an empire, Lauren, and realized I was living in an empty penthouse with nothing to show for it but stock certificates.""
""Ryan... you didn't do that for me, did you?"" she asked softly, her heart aching with tenderness.
""I did it for me,"" he answered truthfully, reaching out and gently taking her hand. His warm fingers intertwined with hers, exactly as they had in the dark of that stalled elevator. ""Because as long as I was your CEO, or your potential business partner, or your competitor, there would always be a conflict of interest. And I realized three months ago that losing you was the worst trade of my entire life.""
Lauren looked down at their joined hands, feeling the steady, reassuring heat of his skin. The city bustled around them—carriages rolling past, children laughing near the fountain, the hum of Manhattan in the distance—but between them, there was only peace.
""I heard about Mitchell & Partners,"" Ryan continued, a genuine, dazzling smile breaking across his handsome face. ""You're stealing all the best mid-market tech deals. The Street is terrified of you.""
""Good,"" she smirked, leaning her shoulder lightly against his. ""They should be.""
Ryan chuckled, lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a soft, lingering kiss against the back of her knuckles. He looked into her eyes, the very same playful spark dancing in his gaze that had started this entire wild journey outside room 814.
""So,"" Ryan murmured, his voice dipping into that wicked, midnight hum that had haunted her dreams for months. ""Now that I don't sign your paychecks, and you don't answer to my board... would you like to have dinner with me tonight?""
Lauren laughed, a bright, beautiful sound that echoed over the water. She tilted her head, meeting his gaze with zero hesitation, completely free.
May you like
""Only if you promise not to answer the door in sweatpants,"" she whispered.
Ryan leaned in, closing the space between them until his lips brushed against hers, sealing a promise that had been waiting for midnight to finally end. ""Deal,"" he whispered against her mouth. ""Looks like I got lucky after all."""
