Chapter 2: THE TECH STARTUP

The city stretched out before me from the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, the sprawling skyline a testament to the power and ambition of New York. The hum of traffic below was barely audible from up here, the noise of the city muted by the thick glass. I stood by the window, the light of the morning sun casting a warm glow over my desk, where a dozen or so proposals were spread out, each more promising than the last. But my mind wasn’t on the papers; it was still reeling from the message I’d received last night.

“See you soon.”

Daniel’s words echoed in my head, a constant, unwelcome presence that had followed me home and then to work this morning. I’d barely slept, my mind churning with possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last. What was he planning? Why couldn’t he just let me go?

I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to push the thoughts aside. This was a new chapter, a new beginning. I had to focus on what was in front of me—my tech startup, my future. I wouldn’t let Daniel’s games distract me from what I had worked so hard to build.

I turned away from the window and walked over to my desk, the heels of my shoes clicking softly against the polished hardwood floor. My office was a far cry from the cold, impersonal space I’d occupied when I was married to Daniel. This place was mine, every piece of furniture, every piece of art on the walls, a reflection of who I was now—a woman in control, a woman who had rebuilt her life from the ground up.

Sitting at my desk, I picked up the top proposal and started to review it, but my focus kept slipping, my thoughts wandering back to the message. My phone lay on the desk beside me, silent, but it felt like a ticking time bomb, waiting for the next message, the next move from Daniel. I was on edge, my nerves stretched thin, and it was only nine in the morning.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I looked up to see Sam Brooks, my best friend and business partner, standing in the doorway. Sam had been with me from the start, through the messy divorce, through the sleepless nights spent working on our startup, through everything. She was tall and confident, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, and I trusted her more than anyone else in the world.

“Morning, boss,” she said with a grin as she strolled into the office, a cup of coffee in each hand. “I brought you the usual.”

I smiled, grateful for the distraction. “You’re a lifesaver, Sam.”

She handed me the coffee and then sat down across from me, crossing one leg over the other as she took a sip of her own drink. “So, how are you holding up? Any more creepy texts from Mr. Psycho?”

I sighed, taking a long sip of the coffee, letting the warmth soothe my frazzled nerves. “Just the one last night. But I can’t stop thinking about it. What does he want, Sam? Why can’t he just move on?”

Sam’s expression hardened, her playful demeanor fading. “Because he’s a control freak who can’t stand the idea of you being happy without him. He’ll try to mess with your head, make you doubt yourself. But don’t let him, Em. You’ve come too far to let him drag you back down.”

I nodded, knowing she was right, but the doubt lingered. I had rebuilt my life, my company was on the rise, but Daniel had a way of getting under my skin, of making me question everything. 

“Thanks, Sam,” I said, forcing a smile. “I needed to hear that.”

She smiled back, but I could see the concern in her eyes. “Anytime. And speaking of the company, I’ve got some interesting news.” She leaned forward, her voice dropping slightly, the way it always did when she was about to reveal something big. “We’ve caught the attention of some pretty serious investors.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. “Serious how?”

“Serious as in deep pockets and big names. There’s one in particular who’s been asking a lot of questions about us. They’re interested in a partnership, but they’ve been pretty cagey about who they are.”

My heart skipped a beat, a mixture of excitement and wariness. This was what we’d been working toward—a partnership with a major investor could take our company to the next level. But the secrecy made me uneasy. 

“Have they given us any details at all?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

“Not much. Just that they’re based in Europe and have a history of backing tech companies that go on to do big things. But they want to meet with you before they make any decisions.”

A ripple of unease passed through me, mingling with the excitement. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was somehow connected to Daniel, if he was trying to worm his way back into my life through business, the one area where he knew I was vulnerable.

“When’s the meeting?” I asked, my mind already racing with possibilities.

“Tomorrow morning, here in the office. They’re flying in tonight.”

I nodded, my mind made up. This could be the opportunity we’d been waiting for, the chance to take our company global. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye.

“Alright,” I said finally. “Let’s see what they have to offer.”

Sam grinned, the excitement in her eyes infectious. “That’s the spirit. We’ve got this, Em. This is our time.”

I smiled back, but as she left the office, I couldn’t help but feel a knot of tension in my stomach. This mysterious investor, this sudden interest in our company—it all felt too convenient, too perfectly timed. And with Daniel’s message still fresh in my mind, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger, something I wasn’t prepared for.

I spent the rest of the day buried in work, trying to focus on the tasks at hand, but my mind kept drifting back to the meeting, to the possibilities it held, and to the nagging fear that this was all somehow connected to Daniel.

As the day drew to a close and the office emptied out, I found myself once again staring out at the city, the lights flickering on as the sun set behind the skyline. The quiet of the office, the stillness of the night, only amplified the unease that had been building in me all day.

My phone buzzed on the desk, and I picked it up with a sense of dread, half-expecting to see another message from Daniel. But it wasn’t him.

The message was from Sam.

“Just got a call. The investor’s name is Marcus Kane. Ring any bells?”

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the name on the screen. Marcus Kane. The name was familiar, too familiar. He was a legend in the tech world, a billionaire with a reputation for turning startups into giants. But he was also known for being ruthless, for doing whatever it took to get what he wanted.

And what he wanted, he usually got.

A chill ran down my spine as I realized that this wasn’t just another business meeting. This was a test, a challenge. Marcus Kane wasn’t just interested in my company—he was interested in me.

I turned off my phone and set it down on the desk, my mind racing. Tomorrow was going to be a turning point, one way or another. I could feel it in my bones.

But as I sat there in the darkening office, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was walking into a trap, one that I might not be able to escape from.