The Los Angeles sky shimmered with golden hues as Louis Carter stepped out of the private terminal. He wore a sleek grey suit, tailored perfectly to his frame, with dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. Behind him rolled a polished black suitcase, its wheels barely making a sound on the tiled floor. Two weeks in Florida on business had been draining, and the jet lag hadn't done him any favors.
Near the curb, a black SUV gleamed under the sunlight. Cassie leaned casually against the passenger door, dressed in a sleeveless white jumpsuit that hugged her curves. Her auburn curls bounced with every breeze, and a brilliant red smile stretched across her face when she spotted him.
"Louis!" she called, practically skipping toward him with open arms.
Louis's lips lifted slightly. "Cassie," he said, allowing her to hug him. It was brief but tight, her body pressing against his like a puzzle piece she was desperate to fit.
"You look amazing. Florida suits you," Cassie said, brushing imaginary dust off his lapel.
"Endless boardroom meetings, tedious formal dinners, and too many fake smiles," Louis replied, sliding off his sunglasses. "I wouldn't call that suitable."
Cassie laughed, brushing a kiss onto his lips before guiding him to the SUV. The driver quickly opened the back door, and they both climbed in. The doors shut with a soft thud, silencing the outside world.
"Its a good thing you are back now, I missed you," Cassie said, curling her legs up and turning toward him.
"I noticed, and I missed you too, every bit of me did" Louis said with a small smirk, adjusting his seatbelt, as he bent towards her and gave her a kiss.
Cassie twirled a strand of her hair and glanced at him sideways. "So… things got a bit noisy while you were gone."
Louis raised a brow. "Noisy?"
"Medley," Cassie said with a scoff. "Her name's on everyone's lips. Word is, her father declared her missing, and guess what? He placed a five million dollar reward for any info about her."
Louis didn't flinch. "People love drama."
"You're not shocked," Cassie said, eyeing him closely.
"I'm not," he replied with indifference, gazing out the window.
"Why? I mean… she left right after we threw her out. Now she's missing? If someone connects the dots, you're going to look bad," she warned, folding her arms.
Louis sighed. "I don't have her locked away somewhere, Cassie. She left. That was her choice."
"And what if she tells the world you forced her to sign her company over to you?" Cassie snapped.
"I have paperwork. Documents signed legally. She trusted me… stupidly," Louis said, unbothered. "And now she'll pay for it."
Cassie tilted her head. "You're really not going to check on her?"
Louis turned to her, his voice calm but icy. "I don't care where she is. You're the one here now, not her, so forget about her babe."
A smile touched her lips again. "Good. Because I had a run-in with her last week."
Louis's brows furrowed. "A run-in?"
"At Tees Clothing. She humiliated me in front of everyone. And get this, she was with some guy. Rich, powerful-looking. I think she's got a sugar daddy now," Cassie said bitterly.
Louis blinked slowly, resting his finger on his lower lip in thought. "Medley isn't like that. She was never the type to run after money. She built her brand from scratch."
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "So, you're saying I'm lying?"
Louis met her gaze. "What I'm saying is, if what you're saying is true, it's not like her. But I'll handle it… for you, besides people change."
Cassie's pout turned into a smirk. "I just don't want you going soft on her."
"She crossed a line. You don't need to worry," Louis said, his tone final.
The SUV continued its smooth glide through the city streets, disappearing into the bustle of downtown L.A.
****
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, the atmosphere was far from casual.
At the sleek, glass-paneled office of Sky Tech, Mike stood beside Mathew near the reception area, eyes fixed on his tablet screen.
"I need you to deliver this message to Mr. Baron," Mike said, handing Mathew a small envelope. "It's from Mr. Wade. A formal invitation to meet and discuss terms."
Mathew took the envelope with a nod, his tone respectful. "I'll make sure Mr. Baron gets it. Any specific time or location to relay?"
"Be sure to let him know Mr. Wade's schedule is tight," Mike said, folding his arms. "But we can accommodate him at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the villa. Only Mr. Baron. No assistants, except you of course. No surprises."
"Understood."
As Mathew turned to leave, Mike called out, "And Mathew?"
The younger man paused.
"This meeting… it's not business. Make sure Mr. Baron understands that."
"Took longer than expected, I will make sure it's delivered" Mathew said with a forced smile, gave a small bow and exited, disappearing into the waiting car outside.
"Fucking asshole" Mike exhaled heavily and tapped his earpiece as he watched Mathew disappear out of sight