Chapter 4 Asher

I stared at the note on the bedside table for a moment before reaching for my phone to check the time.

7:18 am.

Earlier than I usually woke up on a Saturday, but not early enough to explain why the woman who had occupied my bed for most of the night was already gone.

I glanced back at the note and read it.

Mr. Hayes,

I had to leave early. Thank you for last night.

Harper.

I placed it back on the table, and leaned against the headboard.

Harper.

She had a name, at least.

I couldn't say I was surprised she'd left. The arrangement had been straightforward, and neither of us had promised the other anything beyond the night we'd agreed to spend together. There was no reason for her to stay until I woke up, just as there was no reason for me to expect a goodbye.

A faint smile graced my lips as I recalled the previous night. Deciding it was time to start my day, I quickly pushed the covers aside and got out of bed, leaving the note where it was. The hotel suite was quiet, the morning light filtering through the curtains. I set my phone down and headed for the bathroom.

As the shower warmed, my thoughts briefly returned to the previous evening.

It had been a good night. Better than I'd expected, actually.

The dinner had been pleasant, the conversation surprisingly easy once Harper stopped looking as though she expected someone to throw her out of the restaurant. And the rest of the evening had been considerably more enjoyable than most of my arrangements.

I wasn't in the habit of rating experiences, but I could acknowledge when something exceeded expectations.

Harper had.

That was all there was to it.

I stepped beneath the water and let it run over my shoulders.

I rarely spent the night with women. It wasn't a rule I'd made for any particular reason. I simply preferred my own space, and I had little interest in turning a temporary arrangement into an unnecessary routine.

Last night, however, was an exception to that rule.

I'd fallen asleep with her in my arms, which was unusual enough to register when I woke up. Beyond that, I had no intention of making the night more meaningful than it had been.

I wasn't a man who confused a pleasant experience with the a romantic interest.

Once I finished showering, I dried off and dressed in a charcoal-grey suit, a crisp white shirt, and a dark tie. I fastened my watch, adjusted my cuffs, and checked my reflection.

Everything was as it should be: Composed. Presentable. Ready for the day.

I returned to the bedroom for my phone, glanced once at the note and then turned to the door.

By the time I stepped outside, Seattle's morning traffic was beginning to build. The city was already awake, with commuters filling the pavements and vehicles moving steadily through the streets. The sky was overcast, as it often was, and the air carried the familiar chill of a Pacific Northwest morning.

My driver had the car waiting.

I settled into the back seat, opened my calendar, and began reviewing the day's schedule.

There were three calls, an acquisition proposal awaiting my approval, and a meeting with the executive team. A productive Saturday, provided no one wasted my time.

---

Hayes Enterprises Holdings, Inc. occupied a prominent position in Seattle's business district. The company's headquarters housed the executive offices, legal and financial departments, and several of the teams responsible for overseeing our international operations.

As founder and CEO, I had spent years building the company into a multibillion-dollar diversified holding group with investments across communication technologies, sustainable energy, intelligent systems, manufacturing, shipping, logistics, and agriculture.

We didn't depend on a single industry, and we didn't rely on luck to grow.

Our model was straightforward: identify businesses with potential, acquire them, restructure their operations, and make them more profitable. Some required little more than better management. Others needed substantial investment and an entirely different strategy.

Either way, I expected results.

I'd built the company from the ground up, and I had no intention of watching it stagnate because someone lacked the discipline to make a difficult decision.

By the time I reached my office, my assistant had sent me several updates. I responded to the two that required immediate attention, moved a call with our legal team forward by thirty minutes, and asked her to have the latest acquisition figures ready before my first meeting.

Then I entered my office.

Dark wood furniture, a glass desk, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city gave the room a clean, functional appearance. I disliked clutter, whether it involved paperwork, unnecessary meetings, or people who couldn't get to the point.

I placed my briefcase beside the desk, settled into my chair, and opened the acquisition proposal.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I picked up the cell and saw saw who it was: Oscar.

Answering the call, I asked gruffly, “What is it?”

He chuckled, “Is that how you speak to your dear brother?”

“I don't have time for your games. Get to the point quickly. What do you want?” He enjoyed getting on my nerves. I could easily imagine the mischievous grin on his face.

“Fine, fine. Mum wants you to come to dinner this Sunday.”

I massaged my temple. “I can't come.”

"Oh, come on. Not again," Oscar groaned. "You haven't shown up for a family dinner in weeks.”

"I've been busy."

"You were busy last week. And the week before that."

"I'm glad you're finally beginning to understand how running a company works."

Oscar laughed. "You're unbelievable." He paused. "Mom misses you, you arrogant bastard. Just show up for once."

I leaned back in my chair, tapping a finger against the armrest before letting out a slow sigh. "I'll call her tomorrow."

"That isn't what I asked."

"But it's the answer you're getting."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll tell her your work is more important than your own family."

"Tell her whatever helps you sleep at night."

"One day, Asher, you're going to regret being such a pain in the ass."

"I'll add it to my schedule."

He muttered something I didn't bother catching before ending the call.

I placed my phone on the desk and returned to work. Oscar had always been convinced that persistence could make me change my mind. It was one of his more endearing delusions, though I had no intention of encouraging it, because once I set my mind on something, it was what I did.

The acquisition proposal required more attention than my brother's whining, so I spent the next hour reviewing the revised figures, answering questions from the finance team, and preparing for the afternoon meeting.

Work was predictable as Numbers could be checked, risks assessed, and decisions made according to their likely out

comes. People, on the other hand, were never as straightforward.

With that, a flash of auburn hair crossed my mind.

Harper.