C.E.O x C.E.O

Ch. 24 - Confrontation

The text message from Selene told him to meet her here. He didn't bring anything with him. Not a rose for they aren't in love and never had been. Not a pepper spray for she isn't a threat whatsoever. Why did the thought of either of those even come to mind? Well, overthinking is a hectic maze.

Why did she ask to meet him anyway? He probably should've contemplated that sooner. He had a few possibilities in mind. Maybe she was upset that her role as host was replaced by a secretary whose job didn't even warrant her to be a host. Maybe she wanted to discuss the means of the sudden change in management. Maybe she wanted to properly discuss their means, tell him she's happy and hopes he is too. Maybe she... found out about him and Dmitri. The possibilities are endless, and it makes James... uneasy. He ends up fiddling with the sleeve of his otherwise beautiful new suit because of it.

And why had she asked to meet at such a designated, isolated spot? The rooftop of all places? He loves stargazing but the same thing couldn't exactly be said about Selene, for she preferred to sunbathe, always preferred the daytime.

Or is she planning to push him down from here? It'd be a quick and painless death, and there'd be no proof. Nobody would suspect her to begin with.

Not that he doubts her. He knows she's too sweet to even bring herself to kill a fly. That was just the intrusive thoughts talking.

James begins to wonder whether the text message was even from her. It was sent from her number. But nothing else could determine the person that held the phone.

"So you came."

That not Selene's voice. He had been tricked after all.

James made it a thing to step away from the ledge before turning around. To his surprise, it's Maximilian Hart. He's only met Max once, at the Middlemist diplomatic dinner, but that's about it. Why he'd want to meet him all alone on the rooftop is beyond him.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Hart?" James starts, trying to display a friendly smile.

Only to be met with a sarcastic grin. "There you go again with that righteous smile of yours."

James quickly drops the smile, returning to the nonchalant face he should've started with. "Alright, cut to the chase, sir."

"I'm not looking for trouble," Max raises his hands to show they're empty. "Well, actually, I technically am, but that's besides the point."

"Then get to the point," He checks his wristwatch. He's late for the ceremony. He's going to hear it from Katherine now. "I haven't got time to waste."

"Your time is limited anyway," Max shrugs. "How about you use it to do all the things you wanna do instead of all this sappy corporate shit?"

James sighs. "You're not making a lick of sense."

"Of course I wouldn't in your eyes, but fine, I'll get straight to the point," Max says. "I hate you. I genuinely do."

"No surprise, a lot of people do," James deadpans. He wasn't taken aback by the confession, for he's suspected the guy hates him from the moment they met. Did Max genuinely think Selene would leave him for her ex? If he'd known the means of their breakup, and had trusted her enough, then that wouldn't even be part of the equation.

"The spotlight incident, the drugged pinot, yeah... That was all me," Max confesses.

'Thank you for confessing to your blatant crimes,' James thought to himself, but fights the urge to say it aloud, knowing it will escalate things in the wrong direction. And although the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end now that it's confirmed to be true he'd been hunted down this entire time, with the very man responsible for all of it standing right in front of him, he tries his best to remind collected. "Though I don't care, can I ask why you despise me?"