“But, Mr. Hayes-”
“Goodnight, Ms. Statler,” he said, then he hung up.
I stared down at the phone in disbelief yet again. I was absolutely dumbstruck. All signs had pointed to yes. What was I going to tell the other companies who’d been interested in me? I couldn't exactly call Mr. Carmichael up and say, “Hey! Just kidding about Travel, Inc.!”
I sunk to the floor as I realized it was worse than that. Word was going to spread that Travel, Inc. thought I was a bad investment, that “the long-term market was no good and your plan is doomed to failure.” If the biggest and best travel company around didn't think I was a good investment, the smaller ones would have every reason to believe them. I was going to lose all my potential buyers because of this. Because I had trusted him.
A tear ran down my cheek and dropped onto the kitchen floor. Everything was ruined. Everything I had worked so hard to achieve, my dreams of running a travel agency, of being successful, were gone. Logan had crushed them all by leading me on and making me think that he wanted me. That he had been interested not only in my business, but in me as a person.
I dialed his personal line again, but it didn't even go to the secretary. This time, I got the operator with the annoying voice telling me that the line was no longer in service.
Coward, I thought. Doesn't even have the guts to tell me himself. I could barely believe it. He had been so wonderful last night. I had started to let myself imagine a future with him. I had liked him so much, but now, I realized it had just been a front. He only wanted in my pants, and pretending to believe in my company was the easiest way to get there. I couldn't believe I had let myself be so easily duped.
I pulled my hair up and out of my face and took a deep breath. I wasn't about to let some coward and his terrible father make a fool of me. I had worked too hard for this. If the Hayes family thought this was going to slow me down, they were wrong. This was just a bump in the road. My idea was a great one and it was going to work. They were going to be sorry they messed with Olivia Statler. I’d show them. I was still crying, but I’d show them all.
Chapter 16
Present Day
Bang, bang, BANG!
I brought my fist down hard on the wood of Logan's hotel door. I was so angry I could barely see straight. How dare he take my employees!
He opened the door, confusion shifting into a welcoming smile as soon as he saw me. His hair was wet, and he was obviously in the middle of attempting to smooth it. Little droplets of water darkened the pale blue shoulders of his dress shirt.
“I thought I was picking you up...” he greeted me, opening the door wider to allow me in.
“What the hell is this?” I thrust the printed resignation letters into his chest. I couldn't believe he was still planning on taking me out for dinner. He fumbled with them for a moment as I crossed my arms and waited angrily for a response.
“Um...” Logan turned the sheets in his hands and did a very good job at looking legitimately confused. “They look like resignation letters? I'm afraid I don't understand what's going on.”
“Like hell you don't,” I sneered. “Travel, Inc. just hired four of my best consultants out from under me. What kind of sick, twisted game are you playing?”
He looked down at the papers in his hands in shock. “What?”
“What was your plan? Invite me to dinner, and while I'm distracted by your charming smile, collapse my business so you can buy it on a discount?” I took a step back into the hallway. “That's low. Even for you.”
“I swear to you, I had nothing to do with this.” Logan's eyes were wide and his face had lost all semblance of his earlier smile. He had his innocent act down cold. I could have almost believed him.
“Right. Just like you had nothing to do with it the last time you screwed me over.” I took a step down the hallway, then turned as I thought of what I had always wanted to say to him. “How'd that work out for you last time?”
Logan cocked his head to the side, brows together as he stood in his doorway holding the letters. “What are you talking about?”
“The last time you did this to me.” I glared up at him, fury burning through my bones. “What was the plan that time? Get my hopes up, tell my other investors off, and then wait to buy me out when I was desperate? Didn't work out so well for you. You could have had me for almost nothing. I would have given you everything. Now, I'm worth millions and not selling. This latest attempt is going to fare just as well as the first one.”
“What? No, that was never...” Logan shook his head forcefully in denial. “Olivia, I had nothing to do with this! Any of it! This is all my father's doing. You have to believe me!”
“No, I don't.” I gave him a cold once-over and wasn't pleased with what I saw. “I never should have believed you in the first place.” I turned on my heel and marched down the hallway.
“Damn it, Olivia...” he cursed as he hurried out into the hall to follow me. “Wait, Olivia, I can explain!”
But by then, I was already to my door. I caught one last look of pleading as he ran toward me. I didn't want to hear his explanations. I had seen enough of him to last a lifetime. I didn't need to be tricked by his lying ways or my gullible heart.
It felt so good for me to slam my door in his face. I hadn't had the chance to do that the last time we had met. At least this time, Maddy wasn't here to screw things up. As I started to throw things in my suitcase, I thought about that wedding we went to a year ago.
Chapter 17
One year ago