Chapter 73

Philip's POV

The quarterly financial report lay open on my desk, columns of numbers demanding my attention. I'd been staring at the same page for twenty minutes, my mind refusing to engage with profit margins and market projections. Instead, it kept replaying Annie's face as she'd walked away from our meeting, Howard Thompson's hand at the small of her back.

My phone rang, shattering the silence. Sarah's name flashed across the screen.

"Do you need something?" I kept my voice deliberately neutral.

"I went to see Annie today," Sarah's voice carried a carefully crafted tone of distress. "I thought I might... put in a good word for you."

My attention immediately shifted from work to her words. Annie and Sarah talking? The thought made my stomach clench.

"I even told her I was willing to step aside so you two could reconcile,"Sarah continued, her voice thick with what sounded like rehearsed disappointment. "But she wasn't interested at all."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache buiding behind my eyes.

"Philip, I really tried," she added, the manufactured dejection in her voice growing more pronounced.

"I know." I sighed, leaning back in my chair. Something had shifted in my understanding of the situation - a clarity I hadn't possessed when I'd first encountered Annie with Howard. "But thisis between Annie and me.I should handle it myself." The truth was beginning to crystallize, painful though it might be."Annie hates me because during our six years together, I never truly appreciated her. That has nothing to do with you."

Sarah made a soft sound of protest. "But I really want to help you two get back together."

A small, bitter laugh escaped me. "Just stay home and take care of yourself and the baby. That's the best help you can offer mne."

"Sarah," I continued, my voice firmer now, "this whole situation is entirely my fault. Not yours."

This conclusion had come after hours of painful reflection in my office as I forced myself to confront uncomfortable truths.

"But I still feel like it's my fault," Sarah persisted, her voice taking on that plaintive quality she used when she wanted something. "I wish there was something I could do for you."

"I know you love me." That much was easy to feel-Sarah's affection for me, or at least for what I represented, was obvious and uncomplicated.

"But with Annie..." I felt a sharp pain in my chest as the words formed."I only realized how much she loved me after I'd lost her."

The admission tasted bitter. "A few days ago, I was desperate to reconcile with Annie. So when you offered to help, I impulsively agreed."

"Today, I suddenly realized something wasn't right..."I continued,the revelation forming even as I spoke it. "If a man needs another woman's help to win back his ex-wife, doesn't that make me rather pathetic?"

"I won't allow you to talk about yourself that way!" Sarah's immediate protest carried genuine indignation. I smiled despite myself. "Alright. I'll listen to you." Sometimes it was easier to agree than argue.

Sarah's voice softened with satisfaction. "That's better. Since you've made up your mind. I'll stay home and take care of myself and the baby."

After ending the call, I sank back into my chair, fingers drumming lightly against the polished desk. Though Sarah's tone had been acquiescent, I couldn't shake the feeling that her words carried hidden meanings. After all our time together. I'd learned to read the subtle variations in her voice.Despite her current agreement to follow my wishes, instinct told me she wouldn't abandon whatever plan she was formulating. What that plan might be, I couldn't say, but I felt an instinctive unease.

My office door swung open without warning, revealing my mother's imposing figure silhouetted against the hallway light. Betty Baker entered with the imperious confidence she'd perfected over decades, her eyes sharp with disapproval.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded without preamble, settling herself in the chair opposite my desk. "Annie has clearly moved on, she even has a new boyfriend. Why are you still chasing her?"

I felt irritation rise in my chest but tamped it down with practiced restraint.

Mother continued her litany of complaints. "Don't you understand? The more you pursue her, the less chance you have of getting her back!"

I set aside the financial document I'd been pretending to read and met her gaze directly. "Then, Mother, what should I do to make her forgive me and reconcile?"

She adjusted her position, her tone softening marginally as she prepared to dispense her wisdom. "It's simple. Just be happy with Sarah..."

"I've tried that," I interrupted, weariness bleeding into my voice. "It doesn't work." The memory of that failure was still fresh and painful.

I explained my reasoning, the words heavy with resignation. "When Annie saw me with a girlfriend, being affectionate with Sarah, she was actually pleased because it meant I wouldn't be disrupting her lifeanymore."

The bitter truth formed on my lips before I could stop it. "No matter how good or bad I become now, she simply doesn't care anymore."

Mother scoffed, her designer scarf fluttering with the sharp movement of her head. "Then you shouldn't care about her either."

The suggestion sent a sharp pain through my chest. "I can't, Mother."

Seeing that she had no useful advice to offer, I gestured toward the door."You should go. I need to clear my head."

"How can a grown man be so heartbroken over a woman?" she chided,disapproval etched in every line of her perfectly maintained face.

"I love her." The three simple words carried a weight I hadn't fully appreciated until they left my mouth.

I confessed what I'd only recently acknowledged to myself. "I don't know when I fell in love with her. But from the day I realized it, I couldn't live without her."

Mother remained unmoved. "If you try hard enough, you'll eventually forget her."

"I need to work, Mother..." I hoped my tone would end this fruitless conversation.

She rose, clearly displeased at being dismissed. "I'm only saying these things for your own good."

"Don't," I replied firmly. "I want to think for myself." No more compromising.

Mother berated me further for what she perceived as weakness, but when she saw I was no longer engaging, she finally left, displeasure radiating from her rigid posture.

The office settled back into blessed silence. I leaned against my chair,staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

A strange realization suddenly struck me: my friends had never pointed out my feelings for Annie, yet they'd all implied I loved Sarah when I clearly didn't. The inconsistency seemed odd now that I noticed it.

I decided this wasn't the time to investigate that question, but filed the thought away for future consideration.

Turning back to my work, I attempted to focus on the financial reports spread across my desk. As I flipped through the pages of market projections, a sudden insight flashed through my mind.

Annie's chidren's book illustrations were just beginning to gain traction in the market. My company had an entire department dedicated to copyright development. This could be an opportunity.

I quickly formulated a plan: have my copyright department purchase the rights to Annie's illustrations, then specifically request Annie to work directly with me, creating a legitimate reason to meet regularly.

I carefully considered the logistics: Annie's work wasn't well-known yet,so acquisition costs would be reasonable-probably less than what I'd spent on Sarah's last piece of jewelry.

The plan brought a smile to my face-finally, a respectable and logical way to approach Annie.

I pressed the intercom button, summoning my secretary. When he appeared in my doorway, I said. "Contact the copyright department. I need them to purchase the rights to Annie Baker's children's book illustrations."

A flash of understanding crossed his eyes, but he maintained his professional demeanor. "I'll notify the copyright department immediately."

Watching him leave, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "If only I'd thought of this approach sooner." Perhaps I could have avoided so much pain.

I settled back in my chair, hope blooming in my chest for the first time in weeks. This time, I wouldn't make the same mistakes. I would cherish every opportunity to meet with Annie, slowly rebuilding her trust in me.And maybe, just maybe, she would remember what we once had.

*She's with him now,* a traitorous voice whispered in my mind. *In his bed, in his life.*

I pushed the thought away, focusing instead on thestrategy ahead.Business was something I understood. Negotiations, contracts, terms favorable toboth parties-this was familiar territory. And unlike my clumsy attempts to win her back through emotional appeals, this approach played to my strengths.

The intercom buzzed. "Sir, the copyright department is on line two."

I picked up the phone, my voice steadier than it had been in days. "This is Philip Baker. I have a project I'd like to discuIss..."