Chapter 17

Seventeen

Liam

Landing in Dallas felt both familiar and strange. The private jet rolled to a smooth stop on the tarmac, and as I peered out the window at the sprawling skyline, a mix of emotions tugged at me. This city had been my playground, my battlefield, and my home for years, but now it felt distant like I was visiting rather than returning.

The door to the jet opened with a soft hiss, and the rush of warm Dallas air greeted me as I carefully descended the steps. The doctor had confirmed that I no longer needed to wear my boot. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the strange weight that had settled in my chest since leaving Cedar Cove. My life used to revolve around this—private jets, billion-dollar deals, and corporate power moves. But now, as I stepped onto the tarmac, everything felt… empty.

A black SUV waited near the jet, one of the perks of being in this world. The driver nodded politely as I climbed in, but I was already pulling out my phone, sending a quick message to Carla that I was heading into the office. It wasn't planned—I hadn't wanted to make a scene, but after everything she'd said about the morale of my employees, about the productivity slipping, I needed to see for myself.

The drive was quick, and soon enough, the sleek lines of the Edgewater building loomed into view. Stepping out of the car and walking into the lobby, I braced myself for... something. Maybe a confirmation of Carla's concerns—people goofing off, taking their positions for granted while I was gone. But as I stepped onto the elevator and rode it up to the top floor, something else settled in—anticipation.

When the doors opened, the sight that greeted me was the opposite of what I'd expected. Everyone was at their desks, heads down, working. Phones were ringing, conversations were happening, but everything seemed normal. No one was slacking off or lounging around. It wasn't chaotic or falling apart. In fact, it was running smoother than I thought.

A couple of people looked up, their eyes widening as they saw me. The ripple effect was immediate—a few whispered conversations started, and I could feel the energy shift in the room. It wasn't every day that the boss dropped in unexpectedly after months of being MIA.

"Mr. Archer" Carla's voice broke through the chatter, and I turned to see her hurrying toward me. "I wasn't expecting you today."

I gave her a nod. "Yeah, thought I'd surprise everyone. How's it going?"

Carla smiled, though there was a hint of something behind her eyes—relief, maybe? "Everything's going well. Productivity's picked up since our last conversation. I've been keeping a close eye on things."

I nodded, feeling that familiar weight of responsibility settle back on my shoulders. As much as I wanted to believe everything was fine, I couldn't shake the feeling that something still wasn't right. Maybe it was just my paranoia, or maybe it was because I hadn't yet caught the embezzler.

"Good to hear," I said, glancing around. "I'll be in my office for a bit, need to catch up on some things. Let me know if anything comes up."

Carla nodded and quickly excused herself as I headed toward my corner office. It had been a while since I'd stepped foot in there. The large windows still offered that breathtaking view of the city, but now, it felt like a view of a life I was no longer fully a part of. I sat behind my desk, staring at the paperwork that had already been quickly arranged for me.

My phone buzzed with a notification, reminding me that I had invited Cory, my friend for a long time, to lunch while on the plane. I leaned back in my chair and realized how much I needed this break, not just from work but from the constant pressure to figure everything out—Edgewater, Mia, and where I fit in between it all.

As I left the office, I felt the eyes of my employees on me again. They smiled and waved, but there was a distance between us now, one I hadn't noticed before. And it wasn't just about my time away. It was something more. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

The drive to meet Cory was quick, and as my driver pulled into the restaurant's valet, I realized I hadn't really been hungry until now. I'd been so wrapped up in everything that I hadn't even thought about food. Inside, Cory was already waiting for me, his usual smug grin plastered across his face.

"About time you showed up," he said, clapping me on the back as we took our seats. "Figured you were too damn busy living it up in Cedar Cove."

I chuckled, though the truth was far from that. As we ordered, I couldn't help but glance around, the old habit of sizing up my surroundings kicking in. This place was familiar, part of the world I used to thrive in, but it felt... off now.

"So, what's going on?" Cory asked, cutting into his steak. "Still on this whole undercover boss thing?"

I sighed, swirling my drink in the glass. "Yeah. Still trying to figure out the whole mess with the embezzler. Thought I had it narrowed down, but I'm not so sure anymore."

"And what about the girl?" Cory asked, raising an eyebrow. "The park ranger?"

I hesitated for a second before answering. "Mia. Yeah, she's... she's great. But it's complicated. She's not exactly into the whole billionaire lifestyle."

Cory leaned back, smirking. "Who says she has to be? You could always just... step away from it, man. Make Carla CEO, let her handle the day-to-day, and you do whatever you want. You're the owner. You can work from wherever."

I blinked, surprised by the simplicity of it. It wasn't something I hadn't considered, but hearing it out loud made it seem more... real. Still, I wasn't sure Mia would be on board with that either. She was fiercely independent, and the last thing I wanted was to overwhelm her.

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed again. It was a text from Carla.

CARLA: New proposal just came in. I'll leave it on your desk.

Great. More work. But I couldn't help thinking about calling Mia. Checking in to see how she was doing, but the timing didn't feel right. I wasn't ready for that conversation, and from everything she'd said about needing time, I figured it could wait.

As Cory paid the bill, I massaged my temples, my mind already drifting back to the office. The new proposal could mean hours of work, and I still wasn't any closer to figuring out who the hell was embezzling from Edgewater.

I headed back to the office after lunch with Cory, mulling over what he'd said about stepping back. Making Carla CEO and working from wherever sounded great in theory, but I wasn't sure I could let go of the reins that easily. Edgewater was more than just a company to me; it was my legacy, something I'd built with my late father's help. Could I really trust someone else to take control? Even someone as capable as Carla?

The SUV pulled up to the front of the office, and I stepped out, the late afternoon heat heavy on my shoulders. The building felt imposing like it always had, but now there was something else—an emptiness I couldn't shake. Maybe it was because, for the first time, I was starting to question if I belonged here anymore. Was this life, this constant push for more, what I really wanted?

The elevator ride back up to my office was quiet, save for the occasional ding as we passed each floor. When I stepped out, I spotted Carla at her desk, typing away. She glanced up and gave me a quick nod, then gestured toward my office. "The proposal's on your desk. It's a big one."

"Thanks, Carla," I said, moving quickly past her.

The proposal was sitting neatly in the middle of my desk, along with a few other papers I'd need to review before the end of the week. I dropped into my chair, letting out a sigh as I picked up the file. My eyes skimmed the first few pages, but my mind was elsewhere—on Mia, the things she'd said, and how she looked at me when I finally told her the truth about who I was.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. Cory's suggestion kept ringing in my ears—make Carla CEO, step back, and live life the way I wanted. It made sense. Hell, I didn't even like being in the office these days. I preferred the simplicity of Cedar Cove, the quiet moments with Mia, and the space to breathe. But could I really walk away from all this?

I stood up, moving toward the window that overlooked the city. The skyline stretched out before me, all glass and steel, a testament to power and success. I'd spent so many years chasing after this, making sure that Edgewater became a name people respected, feared even. But now, standing here with it all laid out before me, it felt... hollow.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. Carla stepped in, her tablet in hand. "I've got the quarterly projections if you want to go over them."

I turned to face her, giving her a nod. "Sure, let's take a look."

She came over to the desk, setting the tablet down and flipping through the data as she explained the numbers. I listened, but my mind kept drifting. As Carla went on about the company's growth, I found myself thinking about how different things were now. A few months ago, I'd have been completely absorbed in these numbers, thinking of nothing else but how to make them better. Now? They felt like just another obligation, something I had to check off the list before I could get back to what really mattered.

"Makes sense?" Carla asked, glancing up at me.

"Yeah, it all looks good," I replied, though I wasn't sure I'd really absorbed anything she'd said.

Carla hesitated for a moment, then gave me a curious look. "You seem... distracted. Everything okay?"

I nodded, though I wasn't sure it was the truth. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind. The whole embezzlement thing, trying to figure out what's next."

She raised an eyebrow. "Next? You thinking of making some changes?"

I shrugged, turning back toward the window. "Maybe. I don't know. Just... thinking about some options."

Carla didn't say anything for a moment, then she stepped closer, lowering her voice. "You know, Liam, you've built something incredible here. But it's okay to want more than this. Or less, depending on how you look at it."

I glanced over at her, surprised by the insight. Carla was always practical and always focused on the job. But in this moment, she seemed to understand more than I expected.

"Thanks," I said, meaning it.

She nodded and straightened up. "Just let me know if you need anything else. I'll be around."

After Carla left, I sat at my desk, staring at the proposal but not really seeing it. The excitement of another big deal wasn't there, just an emptiness I couldn't shake. I stood up, shrugged on my jacket, and called it a day.

The drive to my penthouse was quick, but the city outside felt distant. Normally, being back in Dallas would mean slipping into the rhythm of work, meetings, and business. But now, everything felt... off.

Is this really what I want? The thought nagged at me, something I hadn't allowed myself to fully confront. Cedar Cove had changed things— she had changed things.

When I stepped inside my penthouse, it was silent, untouched. The place felt sterile, like a museum display of someone else's life. I headed to the fridge, already knowing it would be empty after weeks away.

"Of course, no food. Guess I'm not really living here anymore, am I?" I muttered to myself.

Sighing, I ordered from my favorite Thai restaurant and dropped onto the couch, flipping on the TV to a football game. The glow from the screen filled the room, but my attention was split.

The food arrived, and as I ate and half-watched the game, the city lights outside didn't feel like home anymore. As the sun slipped below the horizon and the lights of Dallas lit up my view from the top of the world, I dozed off, exhaustion pulling me under.

I woke up groggily, the dim glow of the city filtering through the windows. Rubbing my eyes, I glanced at my phone on the coffee table. It was past midnight. A notification lit up the screen—Mia had texted hours ago.

MIA: Found something interesting in the accounts you had me review. Let's talk.

I stared at the message for a moment, my mind snapping to attention. Maybe this was the breakthrough I'd been waiting for. I quickly dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail. "She must have already gone to bed," I told myself.

Setting the phone down, I felt a strange mixture of anticipation and dread settle in.