Page 14 of Before Dawn

I blinked, switching gears. “A driver?”

He leaned back into his pristine white couch. “Someone safe. Reliable.”

“All my employees are reliable, but I’ll handle it.” I already had the perfect person in mind.

His tone turned serious. “I don’t doubt your business—it’s number one in the damn state. I just need my wife protected.”

“Consider it done.” I laid out the process, and he nodded.

“All settled.”

A glance at my watch—9:04 a.m. Time to get to work.

I left and headed to Lower Manhattan, where my empire awaited.

Elite Rides started with a bank loan and my parents’ support, and now? A multi-billion-dollar enterprise, New York’s leading luxury transport company. Two hundred and eighty drivers, reserves on standby—precision and efficiency at its core.

Stepping into my office, I acknowledged my staff with quick nods, keeping the momentum going.

Morison, my ever composed assistant, greeted me. “Good morning, Mr. Suarez.”

“Morning. Let Sapphire know I need to see her.”

Minutes later, she walked in, her posture crisp, her expression sharp.

“Good morning, Mr. Suarez,” Sapphire Stone greeted, settling into the chair across from me. Tall, light brown hair, the backbone of operations. Without her, none of this ran smoothly.

“There’s a request from Alexander Williams in the company email. I need you to handle it.”

Sapphire nodded, handing me a thick brown spiral-bound folder. “These are thirty new applications that need vetting.”

I flipped through the pages. “I’ll get on it. Speaking of vetting, don’t forget your trip to Chicago next week. We need to kick off the expansion integration, and I want you to assemble a solid team.”

Her expression sharpened with focus. “I’ve been preparing. I’ll finalize the itinerary and coordinate with the new hires to run the BETA system.”

“Good. Mr. Reyes will be there for a day to assist with the transition. He knows Chicago better than anyone, so use his expertise.”

“Already done, sir,” she replied, her tone firm. “This is our chance to get the expansion off on the right foot.”

“Perfect.” My mind was already racing ahead. The stakes were higher than ever.

She gave a small nod before walking off, leaving me alone with the folder. I opened it, but my focus wavered. Exhaling sharply, I shoved it aside and pulled up the expansion details instead—numbers, logistics, projections. Every figure had to align, every risk accounted for. I scanned each line thrice, then again, hunting for gaps, errors—anything we might’ve missed.

I adjusted the papers, straightened the edges, and rechecked my calculations.This has to work.

Failure wasn’t an option.

Then, it hit me—an invisible fist squeezing my chest, the weight pressing down.What if this fell through?The thought dug in, tightening its grip.

I reached for my phone. “Morison, push my meeting back. I need a few minutes.”

He nodded and stepped out. The moment the door shut, I locked it. Slumping into my chair, I pressed trembling hands to my face.Breathe.

A sharp inhale. A slow exhale.

I wiped my face, forcing myself to get it together.Focus.I paced the room, deep breaths keeping the panic just barely at bay. It wasn’t gone, but it was manageable. Just enough.

Straightening my shirt, I walked into the meeting, letting Morison take the lead. I nodded when necessary, my expression unreadable. But the weight never lifted.

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