Too Late To Love Me I Already Left With His Twins (Lydia and Dave) novel Chapter 52

Someone new

Lydia POV

I forgot to mention something

There’s someone new in my life.

I know.

Even saying it feels… unlikely.

Because between work, two children, and the general chaos of existing, romance was not on the schedule.

And yet.

Here we are

It started in my third year.

Big case.

The kind that arrives already on fire.

Yakosu Group.

Retail giant. International branches. Too many moving parts and not enough accountability.

Their issue was simple.

Which meant it was complicated.

A supplier scandal.

Documents leaked online showing that one of their international branches had been sourcing from a factory with questionable labor practices.

Children involved. 1

Images circulating.

Hashtags building.

Investors asking questions with polite voices and very sharp edges,

My first meeting with their CEO confirmed my expectations.

He was rude.

Not aggressively. Just efficiently.

The kind of man who speaks like every second you exist is a cost to him.

For instance, I asked him why they were using such sketchy suppliers because I needed the truth to formulate a

PR strategy. 1

He told me, face blank, that he’s not paying me to answer such dumb questions.

Dumb questions, lol.

I handled it.

+15 PALS

Well, not really, because after every meeting I ended up with a nagging headache that left me feeling useless for twelve hours.

Two weeks later, I got an email.

CEO on leave.

Paternity leave.

I was dead shocked because he doesn’t look like a typical lover boy, but I guess looks can be deceiving.

I was so happy that he wouldn’t be around me.

Because he stressed me out a lot.

Good for him.

Better for me.

The next meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m.

I walked in with my files, my tablet, and very low expectations.

He was already there.

Standing.

Not sitting behind the head chair like it owed him loyalty..

Just… standing.

Reading something on his phone.

White shirt. Sleeves rolled. No tie.

He looked up when I entered.

Paused.

Then-

“Lydia?”

His voice was warm.

Not performative. Just… correctly pitched.

“Yes.”

He stepped forward.

Hand out.

16 14

1 * *

“Marcus. I’m the co–CEO of the company. I was abroad for some business so my co–CEO was in charge. Now I’m

here.”

Simple.

C

Love

I shook it.

Then I said, “It’s a pleasure,” and sat down.

Firm grip.

No squeezing for dominance.

I noticed that.

I notice everything.

“I think we should get started,” I said, already projecting my slides.

I explained the situation.

He listened.

Actually listened.

Unlike that his CEO.

Not waiting for his turn to speak.

Not interrupting.

Not correcting me mid–sentence.

When I finished, he nodded once.

“Okay,” he said. “What do you need from us?”

I blinked.

Just once.

This is what I had been praying for the co–CEO to ask me.

Then recovered.

“Full access to internal reports from the last six months. No edits. No summaries.”

“Done.”

“And I’ll need your legal team to stop trying to soften language before it reaches me.”

A pause.

Then-

A small smile.

“I’ll tell them you said that.”

“I did.”

After the meeting, as I was packing up, he said—

“Thank you.”

+15 PAILS

ར

I sand it’s a pleasure,” and sat down

Firm grip

Unlike that his CEO.

“Okay,” he said. “What do you need from us?”

“Full access to internal reports from the last six months. No edits. No summaries.”

A small smile.

“I did.”

After the meeting, as I was packing up, he said-

It was… odd.