The Billionaire’s Pretend Fiancée

Chapter 97 Buy the airport

Roman

“Good day, President Giovanni.” My staff greeted in unison, as I walked into the conference room.

I just nodded and took my seat at the head of the table, before they also did.

“I heard you have something important to tell me. What is it?” I asked, flipping through the pages of the business proposal on the table.

“Uhm, well sir.” One of them, a short, stubby, middle-aged man began.

I raised an irritated brow, as I watched him exchange glances with his colleagues.

“I don’t have the whole day. What is going on? Why are you exchanging glances with them like a trapped rat?” I asked, doing my best to suppress the ire boiling within me.

Nowadays, I easily got irritated.

And as much as I’d like to claim that it wasn’t because of the unresolved issues between Sofie and I, deep down I knew it was.

The last time I spoke to her was five days ago, when we met at the restaurant, and she handed me the stupid contract termination letter, which I had burned with a lighter immediately I got home that day.

She probably needed some space, and I had given her just that.

I had stopped sending those gifts to her, and I had also stopped sending texts and placing calls to her line because I wanted to give her some breathing space.

I wanted her to properly think about us, because I couldn’t see myself living without her by my side.

She kept me alive in many ways, and also gave meaning to my existence.

“President Giovanni?” I felt a tap on my shoulder from beside me, and I looked sideways to see Nathan looking at me with concern evident in his gaze.

“What?” I asked.

“The finance team is ready, sir.”

“Oh.” I muttered to myself, as I averted my concentration to my staff.

“We are ready, sir.” The man from earlier said.

I nodded. “Go on. I’m listening.”

“We don’t know what suddenly went wrong, sir. But T and K corporation have suddenly decided to back out of the merger.” He explained, to which I huffed.

“Good for them. Merging their bankrupted company will benefit them more than it’d benefit me anyway. What else?”

My staff exchanged glances again, and I scoffed.

“My time is very precious to me. Have you forgotten that I’m a businessman?”

“We are sorry, sir. Mr Carlitos of Federer softwares has also decided to opt out of the business collaboration, sir. Sources have told us that he is collaborating with Alexander Guilon’s winery instead.” He divulged.

I snorted. “That’s great news, and good riddance to trash like both him and his company. I wish him good luck on his future collaboration with a criminal’s company. Doesn’t he watch the news or something?”

“We have no idea, sir.”

I just shook my head. “Does his father know about this?”

“No, sir. President Federer is bedridden, as he is in the last stage of prostate cancer, and rumors have it that he’s also showing early onset alzheimer’s symptoms.”

As he talked, my grandmother’s deteriorating health crossed my mind, causing me to heave a huge sigh.

I had promised to take Sofie to see her since last week, yet I still hadn’t.

Sofie didn’t even want to talk to me.

“Carlitos is hellbent on ruining the company his old man worked so hard to build from the scratch.” I muttered. “Is that all you have to tell me?”

“Yes, sir. That is all.”

“One of you could have brought this to my office. Instead of having me come all the way here.” I chided.

“We are sorry, sir. We just didn’t know how you’d take the news, sir.”

“I’m used to news like these. If you want to prosper in this unpredictable world of business, you have to put your emotions aside, to think smartly.” I lectured, getting up from the chair.

“Yes, sir.”

“You may leave.” I dismissed them, and they bowed before exiting the room.

Rapid bouts of harsh knocks suddenly came on the door, and I exchanged glances with Nathan.

“Who is there?” I asked him.

“No idea, sir.” He replied.

“Who is there? Do you want to uproot the damn door?” I hollered.

To my surprise, Damien breezed in panting like he was being chased by the military.

“Damien?” I couldn’t believe my eyes as he went to the water dispenser to pour himself a cup of water, which he drank in one gulp.

“We have a problem, man. A huge problem.” He panted, and my heart sank.

“What is it?”

“Sofie is leaving the country. She is already on her way to the airport, she is moving to London today, Roman. I had no idea about it until now. She didn’t even want me to know because she was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to hide it from you.” He rambled out in one breath.

I huffed out a dry chuckle as I shook my head in self-pity.

My head went blank for a brief moment, as I mulled over Damien’s utterance.

So she really hated me to the point that she was even migrating from America, just because of me.

“How did you know then? Since she didn’t tell you?” Those were the first words that left my mouth when I finally got a grip on myself and reality.

“Her best friend, Amy called to inform me some minutes ago. She told me Sofie made her swear not to tell me but she couldn’t do it. I came here as soon as I got off the phone with her.” Damien revealed.

An idea suddenly struck me, as I racked my brain for a possible solution to this dilemma.

“Nathan, you still have the contact information of the managing director of the federal airports authority, don’t you?” I asked, to which he nodded.

“Yes, sir.” He nodded, already bringing out his phone.

“Good. Do whatever you can to make sure that no flight takes off before I get there, even if that means you have to buy the airport.” I said.

Nathan stared at me like I had gone mad. “But that’s a lot of money, sir.”

“Does it look like I care?” I thundered. “This is the last chance I have to save our relationship, and you are talking about money. Who cares about money? Of what use is my wealth to me if I can’t even have the woman I love? Now go, and do as I instructed!”

Nathan nodded before scurrying out of the room.

“I owe you one, man. Thanks.” I said, to Damien

He clapped my shoulder. “Don’t thank me now. Thank me with a drink when all these is over.”

Afterward, I took the elevator to my office, retrieved my car keys and scampered to the parking lot, ignoring the many stares and mumbles, trailing behind me.

The only thing that mattered to me at that moment, was getting the love of my life back.