His Ex Girl

Chapter 10- An Unforgettable and Airport Arrival

Rafael's POV:

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the numbers on the spreadsheet in front of me without actually registering them. The figures blurred together as my mind kept drifting back to that moment two days ago. The moment when everything changed, when a simple kiss altered the course of my thoughts, and now all I could see was her.

"Rafael, are you even listening?" Roman's voice cut through my reverie, drawing me back to the present.

I blinked, trying to refocus on the numbers and graphs in front of me. "Sorry, Roman. My mind's just elsewhere today."

He raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Is everything alright? You've been off for two days now."

I hesitated for a moment, debating whether to be honest with him. But Roman had always been more than just a business partner or friend; he was like a brother to me. "Actually, something did happen two days ago," I confessed.

Roman leaned back in his chair, giving me his full attention. "What happened?"

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "Yasmin and I... we kissed."

His eyes widened in surprise, and then his brow furrowed in confusion. "But I thought you two were already together? It's natural for you to kiss."

I shook my head, feeling a pang of guilt for deceiving him. "We were faking it. It isn't a real relationship."

Understanding dawned on Roman's face, and he leaned forward again, concern etched in his features. "Why would you fake a relationship with her?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "My board was pressuring me to settle down. They want me to have a stable personal life and my parents threatened to help them so it was either agree or accept defeat."

Roman nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "And Yasmin agreed to this arrangement?"

I nodded. I could easily tell him that Yasmin had a stake in this too, that this arrangement was just as beneficial to her as it was for me but I didn't. I kept my mouth shut. It wasn't my place to reveal that she was Ethan's ex-wife or that she planned on getting revenge on him. I certainly wouldn't explain that I was the one that talked her into getting revenge. "She had her reasons too. It's complicated."

"Well uncomplicate it," he shrugged. "If you can't stop thinking about the kiss, it's probably because you like her and you want to do it again."

Because I liked her and I wanted to do it again? That was absurd, right? I've only been thinking about the kiss because it was the first step in making our charade believable, wasn't it? My racing heart and the constant image of her in my head was just because I haven't been with anyone else in months, that had to be the cause of it, right?  Even as I asked myself these questions I knew I was only torturing myself. I already knew the answer to all my questions and the truth of it all wasn't something I was willing to acknowledge. At least not know. 

"Forget I said anything."

Roman rolled his eyes. "I won't be able to forget if you keep staring into space."

I shrugged him off. "Let's get back to it."

He sighed. "Okay. Make sure you focus, this deal with Ivan could be something special."

The mention of Ivan Rashid brought me back to the urgency of the situation. Ivan was possibly the most elusive and talented business man, and our proposal could be the start of a very lucrative deal for all parties involved. Ivan only worked with who he thought was the best so just a meeting with him would turn heads in our direction. I pushed aside all thoughts of Yasmin and focused on the task at hand, working alongside Roman to iron out the details of the proposal.

As we delved deeper into the intricacies of the project, my mind gradually shifted away from the kiss and onto the challenges ahead. Roman's sharp insights and strategic thinking were invaluable, and together we made significant progress on the proposal.

However, just as we were nearing the final stages, Roman's phone pinged with a notification. He glanced at the screen, his expression turning serious. "Ivan Rashid just touched down at the airport."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Ivan Rashid is at the airport," he repeated even though I definitely heard him the first time. I just couldn't believe what I had heard. He was at the airport? How? Why? 

"Wasn't he supposed to arrive two days from now?"

"He was," Roman agreed. "I don't know what happened. What are we going to do?"

"What can we do?" I stood stuffing the papers into my briefcase. "We're going to go down to the airport and make it known we'd like to do business with him. He knows who you are, doesn't he?"

"Of course he does," Roman sounded almost offended but I brushed it off. "Why else would he attend the gala?"

"How'd you even know he was here?"

"A member of his team told me," I paused, my eyes narrowing on him. If a member of Ivan's team personally reached out to tell him of his arrival, why were we still here?

"Hurry up!" I urged him, helping him to pack up his stuff while also reaching for my phone to call Daniel.

As we made our way to the airport, I couldn't help but wonder how Ivan Rashid's presence would impact not just our business but also my life. The kiss with Yasmin had opened a door I wasn't sure I was ready to walk through, and now, with Ivan Rashid in the picture, everything felt even more uncertain.

We arrived at the airport just as Ivan Rashid emerged from the arrivals gate, flanked by his entourage. He was a tall, imposing figure with a sharp gaze that seemed to pierce through everything it landed on.

"Rafael, Roman," he greeted us with a nod, his voice smooth but with an underlying edge. All I could focus on was the fact that he knew my name. I felt like a fangirl with how happy I was to be acknowledged.

"Ivan," Roman replied, his tone polite but guarded.

Ivan's gaze shifted to me, and for a moment, I felt like he could see right through me. It was a sensation I wasn't familiar with but for some reason his eyes felt familiar even though they shouldn't. 

His eyes fell to the briefcase in both our hands. "It seems we have a lot to discuss," Ivan said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

I stood beside Roman, mentally going over our pitch and ensuring that we were prepared for any questions or challenges that Ivan might throw our way. The stakes were high, but I was determined to prove that we were more than capable of handling the project.

"Walk with me," he spoke quietly taking a step forward, then another. "Give me the condensed version of whatever this is."

Roman and I exchanged a look before the businessman in me came forward, giving him a quick rundown of our proposal. I highlighted the expected profit and cost of production, making sure to include how he would also benefit from this. While I spoke we grew closer and closer to the two black armored cars parked out front. 

By the end of my monologue, Ivan nodded in approval. "You've made a compelling case. Send me a detailed proposal I'll give you my answer at the gala."

Relief washed over me as we parted ways with Ivan. Roman clapped me on the back, a proud smile on his face. "That went better than expected."