I loosened my tie, feeling the weight of the day pushing down on me. The news of my engagement to Mia had spread like wildfire, and now I was racing against time to contain a potential scandal that threatened to unravel everything.
My phone buzzed ceaselessly. Missed calls from my PR team, messages from board members, and a scary SMS from an unknown number. I swiped it open:
"Remember Ibiza, 2019? I do. Call me, or everyone else will know too."
My stomach churned. Ibiza. A cloud of parties, yachts, and questionable decisions. I thought I'd put that life behind, but obviously, it wasn't done with me yet.
"Dylan?" Mia's voice startled me. I quickly locked my phone, feigning a grin as I turned to face her. She stood in the doorway of my home office, concern engraved on her face. "Are you okay? You seem pallid."
I waved off her worry. "Just exhausted. It's been a long day."
She didn't buy it. Mia had always been able to see through my BS, even when we were youngsters. It was one of the things I both liked and feared about her.
"I've been doing some digging," she remarked, entering into the room. My heart rate increased. What had she found? "About the company's financials."
Relief flooded over me, swiftly followed by remorse. I should be honest with her about everything, especially now that we were engaged, even if it was just for show. But the prospect of Mia learning about my past misdeeds made me feel awful.
"What did you find?" I inquired, beckoning for her to take a seat.
Mia sat across from me, her laptop poised on her knees. "There are some anomalies in the offshore accounts. Nothing big, but enough to raise questions if anyone looks too closely."
I leaned forward, happy for the respite from my own concerns. "Show me."
For the next hour, we pored over spreadsheets and financial data. Mia's analytical skills were astounding, spotting information I'd neglected for years. As we worked, I found myself watching her more than the screen. The way she chewed her lower lip when focusing, the joyful glitter in her eyes as she solved a riddle. Had she always been this captivating?
"Earth to Dylan," Mia whispered, snapping her fingers in front of my face. "Did you hear what I said?"
I blinked, ashamed at being caught staring. "Sorry, I zoned off for a second. What was that?"
She groaned, closing her laptop. "I responded, these abnormalities started at the same time your father got sick. Do you believe he might have been trying to hide something?"
The suggestion hit me like a truck. My father, the epitome of corporate ethics, maybe involved in financial misconduct? It seemed inconceivable, yet the evidence was there in black and white.
"I... I don't know," I said, running a hand through my hair. "It doesn't seem like something he would do, but then again, there's a lot I realize I didn't know about him."
Mia leaned out, laying her hand over mine. The touch shot a thrill through me. "We'll work it out, Dylan. Together."
I met her stare, recognizing the determination there. For a time, I forgot about the engagement charade, about the inheritance, about everything but the woman in front of me. I leaned closer, drawn by some magnetic force I couldn't describe.
The harsh ring of my phone ruined the moment. Mia pulled back, a small blush staining her cheeks. I swore under my breath, checking the caller ID. Unknown number.
"I should take this," I remarked, standing abruptly. "It might be important."
Mia nodded, grabbing her stuff. "Of course. I'll see you in the morning? We have that charity gala to attend."
"Right, the gala. I'll be ready."
As soon as Mia departed, I answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, Dylan darling," a familiar voice murmured. My blood ran cold. "It's been too long."
"Valentina," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper. "What do you want?"
Her laugh was like broken glass. "Oh, come now. Is that any way to greet an old friend? Especially one who bears so many of your... secrets."
I held the phone closer. "That was years ago. We both agreed to put it in the past."
"Did we? I don't recall making any such pledge. And now that you're all over the news with your cute little engagement, I'm feeling very nostalgic. Perhaps it's time to take a journey down memory lane. Publicly."
My thoughts raced. The controversy of what happened in Ibiza would be terrible enough, but if the press got wind of my relationship to Valentina and her family's less-than-legal business transactions, it might destroy everything. The firm, the inheritance, my future with Mia...
"What will it take for you to keep quiet?" I asked, hating the desperation in my voice.
"Always so direct," Valentina chuckled. "Let's discuss it in person. Tomorrow night, that nice little charity banquet you're attending. I'll be there. Come find me, for old times' sake."
The telephone went dead before I could respond. I stared at the phone, my hand shaking. How could I approach Valentina with Mia at my side? How could I avoid my past from merging with my present?
A faint knock at the door made me jump. Mia peeked in, her expression apprehensive. "Sorry, I forgot my charger. Dylan, are you sure you're alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I faked a smile, hoping it didn't look as phony as it felt. "I'm alright, just sleepy. Big day tomorrow, right?"
Mia regarded me for a bit more, then nodded slowly. "Right. Goodnight, Dylan."
"Goodnight, Mia."
As the door closed behind her, I slumped into my chair, my head in my hands. The charity gala loomed before me like a ticking time bomb. Mia on one side, Valentina on the other, and my entire future hanging in the balance.
How could I negotiate this minefield without losing everything? And more crucially, how could I protect Mia from the fallout of my past mistakes?
As I peered out the window at the beautiful New York skyline, one thought rang in my mind: Tomorrow night, everything may change. And not necessarily for the better.