Katrina's gaze remained fixed on her computer screen, her mind consumed by the unsettling encounter with Don.
Despite her efforts to shake off the feeling, any item she saw one way or the other brought at least a memory of herself with Don three years ago.
The sound of a sharp knock at the door broke the silence. "Come in," she said, forcing a welcoming tone.
Expecting Emily, Katrina's jaw dropped as Don stood before her. Her frown deepened, scorn etched on her face.
Memories of their past flooded back, each one more painful than the last.
Footsteps interrupted her thoughts, and she shuddered, sweat beading on her forehead.
Don's serious expression was opposite to Katrina's turmoil. "Hello, Katrina. I know we have a lot to discuss, and I want to make it clear that this is strictly business. I'm not here to rekindle anything from the past."
Katrina nodded, relief flickering across her face. "I appreciate that, Don. I'm also here to focus on the business at hand. Nothing more."
"I've been thinking about our new venture," Don said, his voice laced with anticipation. "Have you considered a new company name?" His eagerness sparked Katrina's wariness, her instincts screaming caution.
Katrina's stomach roiled as Don spoke, his voice making her skin crawl.
His words reeked of insincerity, fueling her disgust. She wanted to escape his toxic presence without losing her composure.
"Who told you I agreed to your absurd proposal?" she spat, her voice sharp as a razor.
Her eyes narrowed, piercing Don with a withering glare.
"Do you think I'm interested? Do you know how suffocated I feel around you?" The questions tumbled out, a barrage of indignation.
Don's expression remained steady, trying his best to make her calm down. "Let's focus on the business and put the past behind us. The company's future is more important than our personal issues."
Her voice took on a vulnerable tone. "I'm not dwelling on the past, this is solely about the company. I'm trying to tell you that I've rejected your proposal."
Her sincerity showed, a desperate attempt to convey her truth without hurting Don's feelings.
"I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood," he stammered, trying to find his voice.
He took a step back, his eyes widening in confusion and concern.
He noticed the frosty glare Katrina fixed on him, her eyes flashing at him coldly.
He hesitated, his expression filled with desperation.
"However, without my proposal, I'm not sure your company can succeed," he repeated, his voice conveying a sense of urgency and warning.
He held her gaze, his eyes pleading for her to reconsider, but she remained unfazed, her expression unyielding.
In fact, her disdain seemed to grow, her eyes shaking as if she were looking at something unpleasant and unwanted.
Her gaze was a force, pushing him away. He realized the depth of her resistance.
"Are you trying to intimidate me with veiled threats?" Katrina spat, her anger still not cooled.
Don's composure finally cracked, his temper exploding in a fit of rage. "You have 48 hours to accept my proposal," he snarled, his voice liberating out that pleading tone.
Without waiting for a response, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him with a crash.
Then silence followed.
As Don stormed down the hallway, his bodyguard, Tyson, fell into step beside him, his trained eyes scanning his boss's rigid posture and scowling face.
It was clear that the meeting had not gone well. When they reached the parking lot, Tyson stood by the car door, waiting for Don to get in.
But Don remained rooted to the spot, his chest heaving as he fought to compose himself.
"She has no other choice," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.
Tyson's expression remained neutral, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about the ongoing situation.
He was loyal to Don, but he knew that the situation was precarious.
The company's future hung precariously in the balance, and he could only hope that Katrina would make the right decision.
A sly, mirthless smile spread across Don's face, sending a shiver down Tyson's spine.
"I have a plan," he whispered.
"I know exactly what to do." The smile didn't quite reach his eyes, leaving Tyson with a growing suspicion that his boss was concocting something dangerous.
.....
As Katrina packed some stuff into the car, her movements was slow, weighed down by exhaustion and overwhelm.
The prospect of returning home filled her with dread, knowing her mother had taken it upon herself to orchestrate her daughter's future.
She has been scolding her lately.
Her mother was driven by a singular conviction, Katrina's biological clock was ticking away, and she was obligated to secure her daughter's future through marriage and family.
She believed a woman's true fulfillment lay in marriage and motherhood, and anything less was a recipe for unhappiness and loneliness.
Katrina's mother was determined to see her daughter married off, fearing she'd end up alone and regretful if she didn't act soon.
This fear had become an all consuming force, driving her to find a suitable partner for Katrina, someone who would provide for her and give her the life she deserved.
As she emerged from her car, a sense of insecurity settled over her, as if she was walking into a carefully laid trap.
The front door of her house loomed before her, its threshold resembling the gates of a prison, beckoning her to surrender her freedom.
She hesitated, her feet rooted to the spot, as she steeled herself for the inevitable.
With a deep breath, she pushed open the door and stepped inside, feeling the weight of her mother's expectations settle upon her like a physical force.
As she entered the room, her mother's voice rang out, "This is the man I told you about!" Katrina's eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of the stranger standing before her, his presence catching her off guard.
Her feet seemed to tangle beneath her, and she stumbled, her composure momentarily shattered.
He locked onto hers, his expression a mixture of curiosity and amusement as he watched her struggle to regain her footing.
Katrina's face burned with embarrassment as she finally managed to steady herself, her eyes never leaving his face.