Chapter 17
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When Shawn glanced at the boarding pass, he clenched his jaw. The woman was right. His ticket was economy.
He pulled out his phone and called Ethan.
Ethan picked up on the second ring. “Yes, sir?”
“Economy?” Shawn hissed. “What the hell is this? I told you to book the best seat available.”
“I tried to tell you,” Ethan said quickly. “Sir, I told you earlier that this is the only ticket left tonight. First class, business, even premium economy were sold out. If you wanted to fly tonight, this was it.”
Shawn gritted his teeth in anger.
“Mr. Carter,” Ethan added cautiously, “if you want to wait for a better seat, the next flight is
tomorrow afternoon.”
Shawn’s grip on the phone tightened until his hand hurt. He wanted to bark at Ethan, but the flight was leaving soon. He couldn’t miss it.
“You’re fired,” he snapped at the phone, then ended the call before Ethan could reply.
The boarding line was a nightmare. People with overstuffed bags blocked the way. Children cried. Someone farted, filling the air with a toxic smell.
Shawn pushed forward, with a glare on his face.
When he finally squeezed into his seat, his stomach dropped. He was in the middle seat, row 32. A fat man sat by the window, and a teenage girl sat on Shawn’s other side. The man immediately claimed the armrest. The girl chewed gum loudly and scrolled through her phone with the volume on.
Shawn gritted his teeth. The air smelled of fart and sweat from too many bodies.
He closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe.
This was nothing. He would suffer worse, if he could convince the Redmonds, and this discomfort would all be worth it.
The flight was a nightmare. A baby wailed two rows behind him. The man beside him snored like a truck’s engine. The girl kept popping her gum, the sound grating in his ears.
When the plane finally touched down, Shawn’s head pounded. He grabbed his briefcase and shoved past the slow–moving passengers, ignoring the annoyed yells. He didn’t care. He just needed to get off this plane.
His phone buzzed the moment he stepped into the airport. A message from Marcus:
> Redmonds are leaving for Europe in three hours. If you want to see them, go now. No
time to waste.
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time to waste.
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Shawn’s chest tightened. Three hours. There was no time to go to a hotel. And no time to shower or even change his rumpled shirt.
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to smooth it down, but it only stuck up roughly. His suit jacket was wrinkled from the horrible flight.
He had no time.
He rushed toward a taxi and gave him the address from the card Marcus had given him. “As fast as you can.” He said, tossing his bag in the back seat.
The driver gave him a look in the rearview mirror. “That’s a long drive at this hour. The traffic is heavy.”
“Then drive like it isn’t,” Shawn snapped. He shoved a bunch of bills toward the driver. “Double if you make it in under an hour.”
The driver’s eyes lit up, and he smirked. “You got it.”
As the car sped towards his destination, Shawn kept checking his watch again and again. Fortunately, forty minutes later, the car drove into a luxurious driveway. The Redmond mansion was a massive stone estate that sent a shiver down Shawn’s spine. Even in the dark it gave off a sense of wealth and power.
Shawn exhaled slowly. He grabbed his briefcase and stepped out before the driver fully stopped.
He walked up the heavy wooden doors with his heart in his throat. The Redmonds were his last hope. He couldn’t afford a mistake.
He took a deep breath. He was Shawn Carter. The owner of the Carter Enterprises. He was charismatic, and he was confident that he would win them over.
Nothing would change that.
He ran his hand over his hair again, trying to make it lie flat, but it was useless.
He straightened his jacket as much as he could, then he raised a hand and knocked.
There was no response for a moment, so he knocked again. This time harder.
A moment later, the door swung open.
Shawn froze, his mouth gaping open in shock.
Chapter 17
