Chapter 5 - The Price of Becoming Better
Daniel Costa’s arrest did not fix everything.
It made everything worse first.
Investigators arrived.
Contracts were frozen.
Drivers threatened to quit.
Banks demanded explanations.
Rumors spread that Harbor Logistics would collapse within weeks.
Roman walked into Sadie’s office Monday morning.
“How bad?”
“Do you want the polite answer?”
“No.”
“We’re screwed.”
“Good morning to you too.”
Sadie turned the laptop toward him.
“We lose the Westport contract Friday unless we prove Harbor can operate independently.”
“Can we?”
“Yes.”
Roman raised an eyebrow.
“You answered quickly.”
“Because I haven’t slept.”
“Sadie.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re drinking coffee from yesterday.”
“It builds character.”
Roman took the cup away.
She glared.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
“I need caffeine.”
“You need sleep.”
“You’re giving me life advice?”
“Terrifying, isn’t it?”
Despite herself, Sadie smiled.
Roman noticed.
Neither mentioned it.
Carmine entered later that afternoon.
“I can stabilize Harbor.”
Roman looked up.
“How?”
“Costa money.”
“No.”
Carmine frowned.
“Roman—”
“No.”
“It would save the company.”
“And keep it chained to everything Luca wanted me to leave.”
Carmine looked at Sadie.
“Did you teach him this?”
Sadie shook her head.
“I taught him Excel.”
Roman almost smiled.
Carmine studied his son.
“What are you planning?”
Roman placed a folder on the desk.
“Sell my interest in the clubs. Sell the properties Daniel used. Liquidate anything Harbor doesn’t need.”
“You’ll lose millions.”
“I’ll survive.”
“And the family?”
Roman looked directly at his father.
“I’m choosing Harbor.”
Carmine was silent for a long time.
Then he nodded.
“Luca would’ve approved.”
Roman’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t use him to convince me.”
“I’m not.”
Carmine turned toward the door.
“I’m telling you because I never told him enough.”
Before leaving, he stopped.
“I’m proud of you, Roman.”
Roman stared at the desk.
The door closed.
Sadie quietly returned to her spreadsheet.
Roman looked at her.
“You’re not going to say anything?”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
“Because if I look at you right now, you might develop feelings.”
“Terrible possibility.”
“Catastrophic.”
Roman smiled.
It was the first genuine smile Sadie had ever seen from him.
Three days later, Harbor won the contract.
Two weeks later, every employee was paid.
A month later, Roman sold the last business tied to Daniel.
Then one evening, Sadie found an envelope on her desk.
She opened it.
PAID IN FULL.
Her mother’s medical debt.
Sadie walked into Roman’s office.
“You did this?”
He looked up.
“My father promised it.”
“He already paid part of it.”
“I paid the rest.”
Sadie placed the paper down.
“I don’t want your money.”
“It isn’t charity.”
“Then what is it?”
Roman stood.
“A debt.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I owe you.”
“For what?”
Roman looked at her.
“For the night at Toscano’s.”
Sadie shook her head.
“I gave you a towel.”
“You gave me a choice.”
His voice lowered.
“Everyone else either feared me or encouraged me. You were the first person who looked at me while I was losing control and expected me to control myself.”
Sadie’s anger faded.
Roman continued.
“You made me responsible for what I broke.”
He smiled faintly.
“Starting with a three-hundred-dollar frame.”
“Four hundred.”
“I overpaid.”
“You destroyed an antique chair too.”
“Right.”
For a moment they simply looked at each other.
Then Roman asked:
“Dinner.”
Sadie blinked.
“What?”
“Have dinner with me.”
“That sounded like an order.”
Roman tried again.
“Would you have dinner with me?”
“Better.”
“Tomorrow?”
“No.”
His face fell.
“I work tomorrow.”
“You still work at Toscano’s?”
“Friday nights.”
“Why?”
Sadie smiled.
“Because unlike some people, I don’t abandon a job without notice.”
Roman nodded.
“Friday, then.”
“I just said I’m working.”
“I know.”
May you like
His expression turned suspiciously amused.
“I’ll come to you.”
