I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 104

Seeing Harold agree, Victoria seized the opening to push her agenda.

"Why don't we bring Eileen into the company? Have her start as your assistant, and you can show her the ropes. If she finds a purpose in work, maybe she'll stop obsessing over this romance drama."

Victoria had noticed the flirtatious energy of Harold's new secretary the moment she walked in.

Over the years, Harold had systematically fired all of her informants within the company. It had only been a few years since her parents passed, but she feared no one even remembered that Apex Holdings was originally built by her family.

When Eileen moved to France, Victoria had followed her, stepping away from her executive role. But she had never fully trusted Harold running the show without supervision.

"Alright. Once she's a bit more stable, I'll train her myself," Harold agreed easily.

His quick agreement instantly wiped away her anxiety.

"Perfect. I'm going to go pick her up now. Don't stay too late."

Harold buzzed his secretary to escort Victoria to the elevator. The second she was gone, he marched back to his desk and punched in his password.

The screen flashed to life, displaying photos of Sophie sent by his private investigator.

Ever since he had seen the short-haired photo of Sophie from her teenage years, a seed of doubt had been festering. What if the paternity test was wrong?

To be absolutely certain, he had hired men to shadow Sophie while dispatching investigators to track down Sarah's relatives in their hometown.

After Victoria had gotten pregnant, he had relocated his parents to Boston. He hadn't returned to his old town in nearly thirty years, so piecing the history back together had taken considerable effort.

He and Sarah had grown up in Oak Creek, a remote, forgettable town. They had attended the same high school. During his freshman year, he had been instantly captivated by Sarah's bright eyes and the adorable dimples that appeared when she smiled.

By sophomore year, she was seated right in front of him. Whenever classes ended, he would steal her desk-mate's chair under the guise of tutoring her. During lectures, he was constantly slipping her notes.

It didn't take long for them to spark a secret romance right under the noses of their teachers and classmates.

But the thrill of young love was impossible to hide. They spent their weekends sneaking out on dates under the excuse of studying together. Their constant note-passing in class tanked both of their grades.

When their teachers caught on, their parents were called in, and they were immediately separated.

They found their way back to each other soon enough, though they were much more careful. They avoided speaking at school, choosing instead to secretly walk together on the way home.

The sneaking around only fueled their passion, making their bond even stronger.

Senior year arrived, and both of them failed their college entrance exams.

Harold's father had beaten him mercilessly and forced him to repeat the year. Sarah's parents, however, refused to let her try again.

Back then, getting into college was incredibly rare. Because Sarah was a girl, her parents believed finding a stable job was far more practical than higher education. Her father managed to get the eighteen-year-old a factory job where he worked.

During Harold's repeat year, they barely saw each other, relying on letters and hurried weekend meetups.

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