"I don't want to meet this man," Melanie stated stubbornly, her voice firm as she leaned back in her office chair. Across from her, Spencer sighed in exasperation, his hands braced against the desk as he tried once more to convince her.
"Melanie, Mr. Girf was one of our major clients. And yet, last year, he took his contract from us and handed it over to our competitors. You know how much that set us back. Come on, we need to win him back."
Melanie's gaze locked onto Spencer's, "You want to woo him? Then go ahead. Why do I need to be there? I don't want to go there, Spencer."
Spencer shook his head, frustration clear in his expression. "Because you're the chairwoman, Melanie. Your presence alone would reassure him of our sincerity. It would send the message that we're serious about rebuilding this relationship. And let's not forget—you were our top negotiator with his company last time. You know him better than anyone else here." He let out a breath. "Look, I get it. Things didn't work out before, but that's just business. You can't hold grudges over something like this forever. You failed last time. This time, you just need to be present and I will handle everything."
Melanie exhaled sharply, her grip tightening around the pen she had been holding. She didn't miss the condescending insinuation that Spencer had made. That she was the reason for losing out the previous time and she was not going now because she did not want to face her failure. She carefully placed it down, leveling Spencer with a stare.
"Do you know why things didn't work out last time?" she asked, her voice eerily calm. "Because I refused to sleep with him. In fact, I would have been surprised if he did choose us. After all, I almost broke his nose."
Spencer blinked, clearly caught off guard by the bluntness of her words. Silence filled the office, stretching between them as Melanie watched the realization settle over his features.
It had been two years since she had taken over the company at the time. Mr. Girf's contract was supposed to have been the final push—an agreement that would have cemented both her position and the company's standing among the top five in the industry.
But then that man...
Even now, a shudder crawled up Melanie's spine as the memory surfaced, unwanted and vivid. The way his hand had slid over her thigh beneath the table, fingers pressing against the hem of her skirt as he'd leaned in close to her. The sickeningly confident smirk on his face when she'd pushed his hand away and then the moment he had tried to force her, grip tightening as though he had some unspoken right to her body.
She had stormed out that night, fury burning through her veins as she swung her purse at him. But only she knew how scared she had been. How scared.
Of course, the board had erupted into outrage afterward, demanding explanations and lamenting the loss of their most valuable client. They'd even tried to force her hand by threatening her that if she did not bring him back, she would be thrown out. And she'd seen in the eyes of those snakes, that they knew... knew why she had lost out and were not bothered about the morality of all.
But Melanie had silenced their complaints soon enough though—securing an even bigger contract with the international powerhouse, StormEdge. That deal had been her victory, her proof that she didn't need to bend to men like Mr. Girf to succeed.
And now, after all this time, Spencer wanted to drag that man back into their orbit? To prove himself, he was willing to grovel before a man who had once tried to violate her? Well, he could do it alone.
She wasn't going anywhere near Mr. Girf. Not now. Not ever.
Spencer cursed under his breath while Melanie was lost in thought and walked around the desk hurriedly. "Jesus, Melanie," he muttered, his voice raw. Then, before she could react, he stepped forward, pulled her up from her chair and hugged her tightly.
Melanie stiffened in shock. Of all the reactions she had expected—dismissal, disbelief, maybe even a half-hearted apology—this wasn't one of them.
"You suffered so much. And I... I didn't even know.I was told that you refused to go ahead with the negotiations. I just assumed that you were being proud..."
Melanie nodded and stepped away from him. It seemed he was really worried about their relationship after her demand for divorce from last night. He was even willing to show her compassion. Of course, the compasson was only momentary as Spencer soon stepped back and said," This time, you won't be alone. I'll be there with you. You don't need to worry, okay?"
Melanie almost snorted. DId he really think by standing next to her, he could protect her from people like him?
"You know what?" she said coolly, straightening her blazer as she picked up her pen once more. "Go ahead. Schedule the meeting. Do what you need to do."