Page 24 of The Most Perfect Wrong

The elevator doors open, and Leo, still grinning, pats Michael on the back before stepping out. “See you later, guys.”

“See you,” I say as we all head our separate ways.

The guys are right. I just need to focus on work and forget it. She’s engaged now—end of story.

Chapter 9

COOPER

November

Ryan scans the room before speaking. “Next on the agenda is the planned expansion into new markets. Jason, you’ve been leading this—care to give us an update?”

Seated at the head of the conference table, Ryan shifts his attention to Jason.

“Sure thing, Ryan. We’ve been exploring several potential markets, and I’ve gathered some preliminary research. But here’s the thing… my plate’s pretty full with the merger. This expansion is too crucial to split my focus, so I’ve decided to delegate this project to Cooper.”

What?I hope my surprise isn’t as obvious as everyone else’s. I knew I’d be helping with this project, but being handed the reins is a complete shock. Jason could’ve at least given me a heads-up. I’ve only been here a month—I’m not sure if I’m ready for this.

Ryan raises an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard. It’s obvious this decision wasn’t run by him first. “Cooper? Are you sure about that? This is a high-priority project.” His skepticism is anything but encouraging.

Jason shifts his gaze between Ryan and me, his tone steady. “Absolutely. She’s proven more than capable. Cooper will be taking the lead on this project. You’ll both run point on theexecution and make key decisions together. I’ll still sign off on anything major, but I trust her to manage the overall direction.”

I swallow my anxiety, forcing a confident front—if only to shove it in Ryan’s face. He clearly doubts me. “Thank you, Jason. I’m ready to step up and take on the challenge.” I smile and turn to Ryan, locking eyes with him in a pointed stare.

Genevieve claps her hands together, beaming. “I think this is a great idea. Cooper’s proven she’s adaptable and handles pressure well. With your oversight, Ryan, I’m confident you two will do a great job.”

Ryan nods, his eyes still sizing me up, doubt lingering. “Alright then. Cooper, let’s set some time aside today to go over the initial plans. We’ll need to hit the ground running.” He clears his throat, shifting gears. “Okay, with that settled, let’s move on to the budget and financials for this expansion. Melissa, I believe you’ve put together a preliminary budget overview?”

Melissa, the finance director of VantageSphere, stands to speak. “Yes, I have. Based on the initial market analysis…” She goes on about the budget for the project, and I know I should be paying closer attention, maybe even taking notes, but my mind is racing, and I can feel Ryan’s eyes on me. I force myself to stare at Melissa, nodding at the right moments, but my thoughts are divided—half with the meeting, half with the idea of working so closely with Ryan.

For the past few weeks, we’ve mostly managed to stay out of each other’s way. I avoid him as much as possible. Aside from morning meetings and the rare question, we barely interact. And when we do—it hasn’t been pretty. But this project will change all that. We’ll have to spend time together—every day, and I know he doesn’t like me. Whether it’s because he thinks I cheated on Brad, or something else entirely, his resentment is palpable.

I’ve caught him staring at me more than once. I never know if it’s out of spite or if he still finds me attractive. He always brushes it off, quickly focusing his attention elsewhere, but the unspoken tension between us is impossible to ignore. And the thought of working with him one-on-one—it makes my stomach twist.

After Melissa wraps up, Jason finishes the meeting by covering a few key details about the expansion, and this time, I make sure to pay close attention.

“Alright, if no one has anything else, that’s it from me. Let’s have a productive day, and I’ll see you all tomorrow morning at nine.” Ryan’s gaze lands directly on me. “Cooper, can you meet me in my office to go over our schedules for the next week?”

“Sure,” I reply with a nod. “Can you give me ten minutes?”

He glances at his watch. “Yeah, but I have a meeting in thirty, so if you could swing by sooner, that’d be great.” With a quick turn, he strides out the door, his irritation hanging in the air.Great. This will be fun.

I roll my eyes as soon as his back is turned. I had planned to grab a coffee, but instead, I trail after him to his office.

“I thought you needed ten minutes,” Ryan says, his tone clipped.

“Yeah, well, I made it work now,” I shoot back, the sharpness in my tone surprising even me. I remind myself that, no matter how much we both hate being stuck working together, Ryan is my superior. I soften my voice. “I know you’re busy. Can I sit?” I gesture to the seat across from him.

He waves dismissively toward the chair as he sits, his focus already back on his computer, clicking away.

“Look, Ryan, I know you don’t think I’m capable of managing this project, but I promise I am. I’ll need some guidance… I’m new, after all. But with your oversight, and Jason’s, I’ll be teachable and adaptable.”

His eyes shift from the screen to me, a pause stretching between us before he finally speaks. “I never said you weren’t capable.”

“Then what is it? Are you just upset that you have to work with me? I know it’s not ideal, but—”

He cuts me off. “I never said I don’t want to work with you, Cooper. It’s fine, really. I was just surprised.”

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