They made small talk through the appetizer course, discussing the city, the weather, general observations about the business climate. Chad was an excellent conversationalist, charming and engaging, and James found himself beginning to relax despite his earlier reservations.
It wasn't until they were well into the main course that Chad's demeanor began to shift subtly, his questions becoming more pointed and personal.
"I've always been curious about something," Chad said, swirling his wine thoughtfully. "During our first meeting at Sharp Innovations, I noticed you seemed quite comfortable there. More comfortable than most employees, certainly more than most assistants."
James felt his guard rising. "I enjoy my work. Victoria is an excellent boss, and the company culture is very supportive."
"Indeed," Chad replied with a knowing smile. "But it was more than professional comfort, wasn't it? I remember watching you during that meeting, noticing the way you looked at her, the subtle dynamics between you. It took me a while to understand what I was observing, but now, of course, it all makes perfect sense."
The implication was clear, and James felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment at having been so transparent. "I'm not sure what you're suggesting."
"I'm not suggesting anything, James. I'm stating a fact. You were in love with Victoria Sharp long before she was in love with you. The question that interests me is how long you were willing to wait for her to notice."
The accuracy of the observation was startling and deeply uncomfortable. James had thought he had been more discreet about his feelings during that period, but apparently his emotions had been more obvious than he realized.
"My relationship with Victoria is private," James said firmly. "And I don't see how it's relevant to anything we might need to discuss."
Chad leaned back in his chair, studying James with an expression that had grown increasingly calculating. "Oh, but it's quite relevant, actually. You see, James, I have a proposition for you."
The word 'proposition' sent alarm bells ringing in James's mind. Whatever Chad was about to suggest, James was already certain he wouldn't like it.
"I'm listening," he said cautiously.
"I want you to end your relationship with Victoria."
The statement hung in the air between them like a physical presence. James stared at Chad in disbelief, certain he had misheard or misunderstood.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"You heard me correctly," Chad said, his voice calm and matter of fact. "I want you to break up with Victoria Sharp and remove yourself from her life permanently."
James felt a surge of anger so intense it made his vision blur momentarily. The audacity of the request, the casual way Chad had delivered it, as if he were discussing a simple business transaction, was breathtaking in its arrogance.
"You're insane," James said, his voice tight with controlled fury. "Even if I were inclined to consider such a ridiculous suggestion, which I'm not, what possible right do you think you have to make such a demand?"
Chad's smile widened, and for the first time since James had known him, the carefully constructed façade of charming professionalism slipped completely away, revealing something cold and ruthless underneath.
"The right of someone who can make your life very difficult if you choose not to cooperate," Chad replied smoothly. "But I'm hoping we can resolve this amicably. I'm prepared to make it worth your while."
James started to rise from his chair, his intention to leave the restaurant immediately clear, but Chad's next words stopped him cold.
"Wouldn't you like to know why your investor meetings have been going so poorly lately?"
The question hit James like a physical blow. The casual way Chad had phrased it, the knowing look in his eyes, made the implication unmistakable. James slowly sank back into his chair, his heart pounding with a mixture of rage and dawning understanding.
"You," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Chad's smile was triumphant. "Indeed. Though I must say, it was almost disappointingly easy. A few phone calls to the right people, some carefully placed concerns about your stability and reliability, a few strategic questions about the viability of your project. These investors are sheep, James. They follow the herd, and when someone with my reputation and connections suggests that backing your venture might be... inadvisable... well, they listen."
The confirmation of what James had begun to suspect hit him like a sledgehammer to the chest. All his hopes, all his dreams, all the opportunities he had worked so hard to create had been systematically destroyed by Chad's petty jealousy and manipulative interference.
"Why?" James asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Because...this may sound abrupt but I discovered I'm still in love with her," Chad said, his voice cracking slightly with unexpected vulnerability. "Because no matter what I do, no matter how much time passes, I can't get over her. Do you have any idea what it's like to love someone for years and watch them choose everyone else but you?"
His composed façade was beginning to crack, revealing something raw and desperate underneath. "I've tried to move on, James. I've married other women, built my career, convinced myself that what Victoria and I had was just youthful infatuation. But seeing her with you..." He paused, running a hand through his hair in a gesture that seemed uncharacteristically vulnerable. "It destroyed me. Because I realized I've never stopped loving her, not for a single day."
James found himself feeling an unexpected flicker of sympathy for the man across from him, despite the circumstances. The pain in Chad's voice was genuine, the kind of deep, abiding hurt that came from years of unrequited love and rejection.
"Mr. Winters," James said carefully, "I understand that you have feelings for Victoria, but that doesn't give you the right to interfere with my life or career."
"Doesn't it?" Chad asked, his vulnerability quickly hardening back into calculation. "When someone takes away the only thing that's ever mattered to you? When they don't even realize what they have, what they're throwing away?" He leaned forward, his eyes intense. "You've known her for what, a year? Two years? I've loved her since we were in college together. I know her in ways you never will."
"She'll never choose you," James said with quiet conviction. "Not in a million years."
Chad's expression darkened momentarily before the cold smile returned. "Perhaps not willingly. But circumstances have a way of changing people's priorities. When your career lies in ruins and you can no longer provide for her in the manner she's accustomed to, when the stress of your failure begins to strain your relationship, when she realizes that being with you means accepting a life of mediocrity and struggle... well, people make different choices when their options become limited."
The calculating cruelty of the plan was staggering. Chad wasn't just trying to destroy James's career; he was attempting to systematically dismantle their entire relationship by removing James's ability to be the man Victoria deserved.
"But here's the interesting part, James," Chad continued, his voice taking on a tone of mock sympathy. "I am not the only one working against you."