Lisa hesitated, then nodded. "There are chairs by the window."
The chairs were expensive and uncomfortable. Victoria sat anyway.
Employees passed by. Some glanced at her. Some did double takes. She knew they recognized her.
At 10:30, Lisa brought coffee.
"Are you sure you want to keep waiting?"
"I'm sure."
By 11:00, Victoria's back ached. She checked her phone. Forty-two missed calls, 37 emails. She ignored them all.
At noon, she ordered flowers from across the street. Expensive roses.
She wrote on hotel stationery.
Mr. Cole,
I made a terrible mistake. I judged you before knowing you. Please give me 15 minutes to apologize in person.
Victoria
She gave them to Lisa. "Can you send these up?"
"I'll make sure he gets them."
Every time the elevator opened, Victoria's heart jumped. Every time it was not Darien, she sank lower.
Employees returned from lunch laughing. They saw Victoria. The laughter stopped. They whispered as they passed.
She was becoming a story, the CEO sitting in a lobby for hours.
At 1:45, Lisa approached again. "Ms. Ashford. Mr. Cole appreciates the flowers, but he's not available today."
"Please." Victoria's voice cracked. "Please ask again. Tell him I flew from San Francisco. Tell him I'm not leaving until he gives me five minutes."
Lisa looked pained. She made another call. This one was longer, with more glances at Victoria.
Finally, she hung up.
"Mr. Cole will give you 15 minutes. Conference Room B, fourth floor."
Victoria stood so fast she got dizzy. "Thank you."
The elevator ride felt endless.
Conference Room B was small. No windows, just a table and six chairs.
Darien was already sitting there in a gray button-down shirt and jeans. He looked rested, calm.
He did not stand when she entered.
"Ms. Ashford, please sit."
Victoria sat. Her hands shook, so she clasped them in her lap.
"Mr. Cole, I came here to..."
He held up one hand. "Stop. Before you apologize, I want to make something clear."
His voice was quiet and controlled.
"You keep saying you didn't know who I was, like that's the problem."
Victoria opened her mouth, but he continued.
"The problem isn't that you didn't know my net worth. The problem is you saw a man in casual clothes and instantly decided I didn't belong."
Each word landed like a hammer.