Resurfaced Reckoning [Fiction]

The scene before Patrick unfolded like a perfect disaster.

He froze with the wine glass tipped towards his mouth as he laid eyes on Lucinda Williams. She glanced around the room at that moment and her soft brown eyes rested on him. And slowly, they narrowed into hard slits. His Adam's apple bobbed. His throat felt thick and dry making it impossible for him to swallow the sip of wine he just tasted.

She wasn't supposed to be at the management's dinner party. She wasn't supposed to know Dennis Olson, the CEO of Flaherty Corporation.

"Patrick!" Dennis grinned as he walked towards him with Lucinda by his side, her arm curled around his. "You look pale. Are you alright?"

His eyes darted toward Lucinda and she smiled blandly. "Uh, I - I'm fine."

"Oh, good. Let me introduce this lovely woman by my side. Lucy dear, meet—"

"No need for that. Patrick and I know each other from way back," she said, low and soft, enjoying the discomfort etched on Patrick's face. Dennis appeared a little confused and glanced between the two people. He was going to say something when a staff member from his office drew close and whispered into his ears.

Patrick turned pleading eyes to Lucinda and she grinned in response. She left Dennis' side and clinked her flute to his wine glass. "Don't you wish you're not here at this moment?" She whispered for his ears only. "I hear you're looking to convince him to invest in your startup project."

Patrick was dumbfounded. He remembered that night when she placed her resignation letter on his desk.

Lucinda Williams was the best CFO he'd ever hired. She reshaped his company and the share price rose. She had not only brains but also beauty. Things were going well for him. He thought with the success of the company and his heavy bank account, he was an irresistible catch.

So he asked her out to dinner. His ego took a blow when she gently refused. He kept pushing and she turned him down again and again. Then she resigned. He knew he'd regret his action and indiscretion.

Months later, his company shares plummeted on the stock market. He filed for bankruptcy thereafter. Now he was trying to start from scratch and needed Dennis Olson's help. Lucinda's presence at the dinner party meant there was no hope for his startup project.

"Would you ever forgive me for that night?" Patrick whispered back, keeping Dennis in his periphery and hoping he didn't hear them.

Lucinda scowled. "Did you ever ask?"

"Please—"

"Patrick, please give us a few minutes. I need this young lady's beautiful brain. Lucy?" Dennis pulled Lucinda away.

Patrick's hands were clammy as anxiety surged through him. He patted his sweaty face with a handkerchief, hoping Lucinda did not spill his terrible past to Dennis Olson. The CEO of Flaherty Corporations was his last resort in his efforts to get his career back on track. He gulped down more glasses of champagne as he waited.

A few minutes later, Dennis and Lucinda walked out of a private room together with some staff of Flaherty Corporation. Patrick started to walk towards Dennis but the CMO, a middle-aged man, stepped in front of him.

"I'm sorry Mr Patrick DiCaprio but Flaherty Corporations will not be taking on your project. Mr Dennis Olson requests that you do not contact him on this matter again."

His heart sank. The CMO's words were like a punch to his gut. His past had caught up with him.

Karma had come to collect.

I hope you enjoyed reading my five-minute short story inspired by the daily Freewrite prompt "perfect disaster".

Thank you for visiting my blog.

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