Billionaire Boss Went On A Blind Date — Unaware He Was The One Who Left Her 10 Years Ago
A Ghost from the Past
Nathan Reed checked his Rolex for the third time in five minutes. The exclusive rooftop restaurant of the Archer Hotel offered breathtaking views of Manhattan’s skyline, but he barely noticed the golden sunset painting the glass façades of neighboring skyscrapers.
His mind was elsewhere, running through the logistics of tomorrow’s board meeting and the potential acquisition that could cement his legacy as CEO of Reed Enterprises.
“Mr. Reed,” the maître d’ announced with practiced deference. “Your guest has arrived.”
Nathan nodded, straightening his custom Tom Ford suit as he stood. At 42, his dark hair was just beginning to silver at the temples, adding to the distinguished appearance that financial magazines frequently featured on their covers.
“America’s most eligible bachelor,” they called him.
The irony wasn’t lost on him. This was to be his last blind date, his sister Charlotte’s final attempt at matchmaking before he committed fully to his self-imposed solitude.
The company would be his wife, his legacy the only children he needed. He’d made peace with that decision after years of meaningless connections that fizzled out beneath the weight of his ambition.
He turned, prepared to offer his standard charming smile and practiced small talk before the inevitable disappointment set in. But the smile froze on his face.
Standing before him in an elegant navy dress was a ghost from his past.
Nathan’s voice caught, barely audible above the ambient jazz and muted conversations surrounding them. “Audrey,”
Her honey blonde hair was shorter now, falling in soft waves to her shoulders instead of the waist-length style he remembered. But her eyes, those piercing hazel eyes, remained unchanged, as did the slight dusting of freckles across her nose that she’d always tried to conceal.
Her voice was steady, revealing nothing of what must be churning beneath the surface. “Nathan.”
“Small world, isn’t it?”
The maître d’ pulled out her chair, oblivious to the tension crackling between them. Nathan sat mechanically, his practiced poise deserting him entirely.
He managed finally, reaching for his water glass with a hand he forced to remain steady. “Charlotte didn’t tell me it was you,”
Audrey replied, placing her napkin on her lap with deliberate care. “She didn’t tell me it was you either,”
“Though I’m beginning to suspect this wasn’t entirely coincidental.”
A waiter appeared, offering wine selections. Nathan ordered without registering his choice, his mind racing to make sense of the situation.
Audrey Matthews, now Audrey Campbell according to the reservation, sat across from him after ten years of silence. Ten years since he’d walked away from everything they’d built together in pursuit of what he’d convinced himself was a greater purpose.
Ambition vs. Reality
He offered lamely, hating how inadequate the words sounded. “You look well.”
She replied, her gaze flicking to his wrist. “Success agrees with you too,”
“Nice watch. Limited edition, isn’t it?”
Nathan resisted the urge to cover the timepiece. “Audrey, I—”
She interrupted, her smile tight. “Let’s not do that,”
“This is awkward enough without dredging up ancient history.”
“I’m here because your sister is persistent, and you’re here for the same reason.”
“We can have a civilized dinner, catch up politely, and then go our separate ways. No harm done.”
But harm had been done. Nathan could see it in the careful way she held herself, the defensive barrier in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.
Before he’d chosen ambition over love, New York over their small hometown in Massachusetts, his dreams over hers. The sommelier returned with wine, and Nathan welcomed the interruption, using the ritual of tasting and approval to gather his scattered thoughts.
When they were alone again, he leaned forward. “How have you been, really?”
Something flickered in her eyes, vulnerability quickly masked. “I’ve been good.”
“I opened my own architecture firm five years ago.”
“Small, but we’re doing well, specializing in sustainable commercial designs.”
Pride surged through him unexpectedly. “You did it. That’s what you always wanted.”
She said, then immediately looked regretful. “One of us had to keep our promises,”
“I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair.”
He swirled the ruby liquid in his glass, studying its movements rather than meeting her gaze. “No, it was perfectly fair,”
“I deserved that and more.”
Their appetizers arrived, dishes Nathan didn’t remember ordering. The conversation shifted to safer topics: mutual acquaintances from their hometown, changes in the industry—neutral ground that allowed them to speak without revealing too much.
But beneath the polite exchange, Nathan felt an undercurrent of everything unspoken between them.
Audrey said eventually, surprising him. “Your company’s environmental initiatives impressed me,”
“I didn’t expect that from Reed Enterprises.”
Nathan raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been following my career.”
A slight flush colored her cheeks. “It’s hard not to when your face appears on CNBC and Forbes regularly.”
“Besides, the sustainability sector is small. Your green tech division is making waves.”
He admitted. “That was always your influence,”
“I never forgot those arguments we had about corporate responsibility versus profit margins.”
“And yet you built an empire on those profit margins.”
He countered. “An empire that’s now investing billions in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure,”
“Sometimes you have to play the game before you can change the rules.”
