The morning air was crisp and bright when Nathan woke, feeling refreshed — though his mind was far from still. The memory of last night lingered stubbornly, looping through his thoughts like an unfinished song.
That woman.
Her tear-filled eyes. Her flushed cheeks. That quiet grace that somehow shone through the haze of alcohol. Even drunk, she had carried herself with a strange, fragile elegance. There was something heartbreakingly pure about her, something he couldn't shake off.
He wondered what kind of fool would let go of someone like that — someone so delicate yet strong. Probably the kind of man who doesn't realize what he's lost until it's too late, he thought, shaking his head.
He hoped she was okay. Maybe even remembered what he told her.
After breakfast, Nathan headed to the gym. His broad frame and chiseled build drew quick glances from nearly every woman there — a ripple of whispers trailing him as he crossed the room.
But Nathan barely noticed. He wasn't one to bask in attention. Every rep, every movement was methodical — a way to quiet his thoughts rather than attract eyes.
By the time he finished, sweat glistened on his skin, the faint sheen catching the light across his sculpted chest and arms. He towelled off, indifferent to the admiring stares following him into the locker room.
After a quick shower, he slipped into a denim button-down and slim tan chinos — clean, sharp, effortlessly composed. He ate alone, taking his time with coffee and fruit, scrolling half-heartedly through emails. He wasn't interested in sightseeing or mingling. What he wanted most was to keep to himself — to avoid any possible encounter with the one person he least wanted to see: his mother.
He hadn't spoken to her in years, not since she walked out and left him with his father and stepmother. He used to write — letters, emails, messages — but she never replied. Not once.
She had erased herself from their lives completely.
The thought still stung, even after all this time. She was the reason he avoided coming home. The reason he wanted this business trip to end as soon as possible.
He told himself he'd wrap up the meeting and leave. No distractions. No detours.
But by noon, boredom began to sink in. He'd already gone through every proposal, every document. The walls of his hotel room felt smaller by the minute.
Then he remembered The Black Tie Society. Private. Exclusive. Quiet.
The perfect place to kill time — and maybe do a little networking, just as Marv had suggested. When he arrived, the club was calm, polished as ever. The kind of place that smelled of old books, mahogany, and money.
He wandered for a while, exploring its many corners. The library drew him in first — floor-to-ceiling shelves lined with leather-bound volumes. He spent an hour there, flipping through architecture and engineering books, admiring old blueprints and sketches.
As he left, he passed a glass-walled billiards room. The soft clack of balls against one another echoed inside.
Curious, Nathan paused at the door. A few men were playing — laughing, drinking, the air casual but competitive.
"Hi there," one of them called out, catching Nathan's glance. "You seem new. Haven't seen you around before."
Nathan smiled politely. "Yeah, just visiting. A friend recommended the place. Not bad."
The man grinned. "Perfect spot to unwind and disappear for a bit. I'm Adam."
"Nate," he replied, shaking his hand.
The two hit it off easily — Adam's easy charm balanced well against Nathan's composed presence. Within minutes, Adam had invited him to join a round of pool.
When the other two players returned, introductions followed quickly. They were businessmen — talkative, friendly, eager to impress.
Nathan slipped into the game effortlessly. He'd always been good at reading people, adapting to their rhythm, letting his natural confidence do the rest.
The balls clicked sharply across the green felt. Nathan lined up a shot, smooth and precise, and sank two balls in one turn.
"Whoa," Adam laughed, clapping lightly.
"You're a natural. A pro, maybe?"
Nathan smiled modestly. "Just practice. Helps me think."
He lined up another, missed it by a hair. "I use billiards to strategize," he added casually. "Calms my nerves."
The men chuckled, impressed. "Man of focus and skill," Adam said, grinning.
As the game went on, their conversation drifted toward business — property markets, investments, materials, clients. Nathan's insights came effortlessly; his sharp yet grounded perspective had the group's attention.
When they finally paused for drinks, Adam leaned back on the stool beside him. "I've gotta say, meeting you's a win for me. The co-owner of Cubix, right? You guys are killing it in the industry. Can't believe you're actually setting up projects here."
"Hopefully," Nathan said with a faint smile. "If all goes well."
Adam nodded. "We're in property management and insurance. Just finished dealing with a headache from one of our builder partners. Honestly, the guy's impossible — full of discrepancies in the paperwork. Finally got him to fix things, though. If he hadn't, I'd have dropped the company entirely."
Nathan smiled politely, choosing silence over judgment. He never liked speaking against anyone he didn't know.
Then Adam tilted his head curiously. "If a client asked for an itemized list of every material you mark up, would you give it to them?"
Nathan chuckled lightly. "Honestly? Probably not. Too much unnecessary work. If a client's that concerned, I'd rather let them source their own materials. I'd just make it clear there'd be no warranty on my end. Transparency goes both ways."
Adam's eyes lit up. "Fair point. I like that. You're sharp — practical. I respect that."
He lifted his glass. "We should keep in touch, Nate. Maybe I'll send a few of my plans your way, get your input."
"Sure," Nathan said.
Adam grinned. "Out of curiosity — which company are you meeting with while you're here?"
"HUB Inc.," Nathan replied.
The man's expression changed instantly. "HUB? Damn. Good luck, my friend."
Nathan frowned. "Why's that?"
"Because the head of that company's known for being meticulous — borderline impossible to please. They don't partner easily. Their main contractor's been the same for years. Lennox Corp. The owners go way back — practically family."
Nathan's brows furrowed slightly. "I wasn't aware of that."
Adam shrugged. "Hey, you might've caught the right timing though. Word around town is something's brewing between those two giants. A falling out, maybe."
He leaned back, tapping the pool cue on the floor. "If that's true, you might just have your opening."
Nathan smiled faintly, though his mind was already racing. "Maybe so."
The two men shook hands again before parting ways.
As Nathan stepped out of the billiards room, the polished corridors of The Black Tie Society reflected back a calm, confident version of him — but inside, he felt the flicker of something else.
A strange anticipation.
Because if there truly was trouble between HUB and Lennox…then his meeting tomorrow was about to become far more interesting than he'd imagined.