Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,67

out he has. And I close the file just as fast, giving it back to him.

“His name is Matthew Bradford,” he informs me. Opening the file again, he takes out another photograph. This time it’s in the dining room where they are having lunch. Matthew is smiling with a twinkle in his eyes while Petra is laughing at him. “They have been friends since last year. And from what I know, he also went to her birthday dinner at Emma’s.”

“What’s your point?”

Roy starts pacing around, engrossed in thought. “Matthew is from a good family. He’s currently studying economics, he doesn’t smoke, drink, or do drugs…” He pauses, looking downward and then up at me. “This boy deserves a chance with her.”

“You are fucking insane, aren’t you?” I shout. “Forget this bullshit!” Now I’m the one who starts pacing around the room—an attempt to keep my rage from consuming me. Looking back at him, I snap, “Petra made her choice. It’s her fucking damn choice. She loves me. This boy is just a friend. Forget this nonsense.”

Roy, with his face just as serene, walks over and, standing behind me, puts a hand on my shoulder. “Alex,” he utters quietly. “I went to Rotterdam personally. I tried to reason with her. Believe me, I even told her it was Petra who proposed…” He sounds defeated, like a beaten dog. “As hard as it is, this relationship has got to end.” And before I can punch him with all the anger boiling in me, Roy casually goes back to sit in his armchair. Once comfortably seated, he says, “You’ll have to do as you promised and go to Singapore.”

Leave Petra? My fiancée? The woman I nearly lost? No fucking way. “I’d prefer to go to court and face that evil bitch than leave Petra. If she wants to press charges against us, she can go ahead and—”

“Enough!” He punches the low table, making his glass tremble. “I should’ve never supported this relationship in the first place! It was such a fucking mistake.”

“You know perfectly well that I love her. I’m not perfect, but—”

“My decision has been made,” he interposes. And I have never hated him and the air he breathes more than now. Roy looks me in the eye and adds, “You’ll announce your departure and the new CEO at our annual dinner. You have a month to pick either Paulo or Mike. Tess will be watching your speech on livestream, so you better not screw up.”

“I can’t do it,” I snap, but Roy remains stone-faced and expressionless. “Petra’s health is so fragile. If I leave her—”

“She’s got an entire team of physicians to take care of her,” he barks. He pauses for a beat to regain his composure. “Petra has to get used to this new reality—a reality without you. It’ll be painful at first, but there is nothing time doesn’t cure.” And a sly smile escapes him as he adds, “Or a new love interest.”

At that instant, I clench my fists tighter to contain the urge to beat the hell out of him. But it’s not only my fists that are tight—my stomach is in knots, and my breathing is shallow too.

Then we are startled by knocking on the door and someone coming in. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Van Gatt, but your driver Anthony is waiting outside.”

“Ah, yes. We are leaving now.” Roy gets up, fastens the button on his blazer, and walks toward the door. Once he passes by me, I put a hand on his shoulder, making him stop.

“Roy…” I stare at him, utterly baffled, my heart heavy, trying to find what is left of the man that is—or was—my best friend. “You can’t do this to us. We can fight back.”

“I’m sorry.” His eyes finally meet mine. “But this is the end of it.” And before I can say anything else, he adds, “You’ve got a plane to Singapore tomorrow night.”

“What?” That’s the only thing I manage to say. He can’t be serious! “You want me to leave now?”

“The sooner the better.” Before I lose all remaining self-control, Roy gives me a quick pat on the back and says, “Now let’s go have lunch.” And he leaves the room and our unbearable talk behind.

Chapter 18

Manhattan, September 17, 2020

Matthew Bradford

There are few things I despise as much as having lunch with Pops. We could have a great relationship, though, if he’d stop behaving like someone stuck in the past century. We’ve tried many times to get closer, but