Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter Sixty-Five

"You don't know?" he asked her, looking slightly angry, as if she had done something she shouldn't have, as if he knew exactly what she had done. "Don't tell me you don't know. It's bullshit."

Now it was Carmen's turn to frown and raise a brow at his language. "Excuse me?"

Eric pursed his lips but never shifted his hard eyes from her. "You are the CEO of this company, Carmen. Don't tell me you have no idea what's going on around the office. That's just annoying."

Carmen felt a slight irritation rise beneath her chest, but she held it in and sighed instead. "I didn't say that. I just don't know what you're talking about. And with all due respect, Mr Logan, I won't tolerate that tone. If you want to express your dissatisfaction over something I've done, please come back later or send it to me in writing. Now, please, move aside. I have work to do."

Not sure what to expect in response from the very man, Carmen walked past him and reached for the door. But before her fingers could even brush the knob, her elbow was grabbed, and her body was tugged around to face him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Carmen tried to yank her arm away, glaring up at him. However, when she noticed the remorseful expression all over his face, her shoulders dropped, and she gently removed her hand from his.

Eric sighed heavily, his anger visibly evaporating. "I'm sorry. I really am," he muttered, his gaze averted for a moment. "I just...I don't know what got into me. I didn't mean to talk to you like...that."

Carmen could only stare, not able to understand whatever the hell was going on with him. She had the choice to say it was fine, to assure him that no harm was done.

But she didn't.

"Why are you so worked up anyway?" She asked instead, taking a small step away from him, trying to create a much-needed distance between them. It just felt wrong to stand this close to him. He felt wrong.

Eric gazed at her for a moment before he turned away and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head, then facing her again. "You ordered an internal audit."

Carmen tensed for only a brief second before she cocked her head to the side. "And that seems to be the problem because?"

Eric paused, looking taken aback. "You're supposed to at least have a word with me. I'm the head of the legal and contract department, for God's sake. The least you could have done is ask for my advice. Do you know how childish that looks? You're just giving everyone a reason to think that maybe you really don't deserve this position. That maybe Ronin was right. Grandpa made a huge mistake this time. Huge!"

Carmen held her ground, her irritation growing as Eric's words stung. "Eric, I appreciate your perspective, but I made the decision based on what I believed was necessary for the company. An internal audit is a routine process, and it's meant to ensure transparency and accountability. It's not a personal attack on anyone, including you."

Eric didn't respond right away, just glared, fists clenched at his sides.

"That's exactly my point, Carmen. It's a routine process, and it happens at a certain time and with consent. You can't just order one at your whim. It's disrespectful and unprofessional. Don't you see?"

Carmen knew he had a point, and maybe under normal circumstances, she would have taken his input. But that was the whole point of a surprise audit. She couldn't trust anyone, not him, and certainly not anymore.

However, before she could say something, a team of five men arrived, drawing both of their attention to them.

Eric spoke up with a forced smile, though the tension still lingered in his eyes. "Well, it seems like your surprise audit is already underway. I'll leave you to it."

Carmen watched as Eric turned and walked away, his shoulders stiff with anger. She was left standing there, her gaze shifting to the team of auditors who had arrived.

* * *

After the heated confrontation with Carmen, Eric went straight to his office.

Sweat broke across his nape as he continued to pace in the huge space of his office chamber. But nothing he did seemed to make him calm down. He realized soon enough that he shouldn't have reacted the way he did, especially to Carmen. Not only because she hadn't done anything wrong, other than not keeping him in the loop and disrespecting him so badly, but also because his reaction would destroy whatever progress he had made with her.

Sure, she had rejected his advances, but that was only because she wasn't ready for anything right now. She hadn't said she didn't like him or couldn't see them together in the future. It was a small hope, but a hope nonetheless. And as stupid as it sounded, he wanted to hold on to that.

Not able to think clearly, he grabbed the keys to his car and drove straight to a penthouse. He rang for the man who owned the property. When one of the staff confirmed his identity, he was allowed entrance.

Running his hand through his hair for the thousandth time, Eric took the elevator and punched for the desired floor. A man in a staff uniform already held the door of the penthouse open for him.

Eric loosened his tie, tossing his phone on the table. "Where the hell is he?"

The staff boy returned with a glass of water on a tray. "Sir has someone over. He knows you're here. He asked you to wait for him."

Eric's frustration only grew hearing that. He tried to be patient, he really did, but the urgency of the matter continued to gnaw at him. And before he knew what he was doing, he stalked towards the master bedroom and flung the door open.

A woman shrieked when she locked eyes with the intruder, her face flushed and eyes widened to the maximum size, while the man with his face stuffed between her thighs groaned.

"What the hell is your problem? Get the hell out of here!" The man growled, lifting his head up and glaring at Eric through the mirrored wall behind the headboard of the bed.

But Eric was too angry to feel embarrassed by the man's nakedness and simply ignored the warning. "In the office. Now!"

Looks like Eric is losing his cool ;P But any guesses who this other man is? :D

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