nn

old cedar clinging to Winston's dark wool coat, c

my racing thoughts to stay quiet. I could not

e elevator chimed and opened on the twenty-eighth floor. C

ing with uncontainable excitement. "Did you hear what happened last night after the gala dinner? Someone spotted a woman in Lord Winston's car! I swear to God,

surfaced, I was first in line with popcorn. Now that the scandal had rebounded d

so?" I managed

ealed tighter than a bank vault," Chloe muttered, clipping her secur

sign division gathered in

ior staff were taking advantage of their post-holiday leave. This morning

and the undisputed department heartthrob,

brilliantly the campaign had performed under his leadership. Everyone wh

esentation was less of an official summary and more o

Julian's gaze drifted over the t

d, flashing an easy, dazzling smile. "Her concepts were used the most in this flagship colle

r. I had heard those flattering words enough times

nally popular across the company. But I personally kept my distance, mostly because he constantly drop

hen a crisp knock sounded aga

to the room, holding a

inston requests your prese

into absolute,

ould instantly feel a dozen pairs of eyes s

ry employee had ever stepped foot on. Company-wide briefings were held on the

t was known as the

. And Winston's former executive assistant had supposedly been carried out on a medical stretcher with a br

ding?" Julian asked, stepping forward

htest twitch in his expression. Even though everyone knew the assistant w

oothly, his tone as impenet

ood," I

refused to fade, my mind still cluttered with the memo

closer with apparent concern. "Are you running a fever? D

essive chivalry toward his female sta

ll go up and handle it. If I don't make it back down, consider the con

an through the room as I tucked my p

ching the executive penthouse required biometric facial recognition and high

nd the bronze doors sealed shut behind us as

g against the polished wood paneling. "Can you a

ver with a faint, knowing smirk. "Though h

God only knew how many times he

am led the way down the quiet, vaulted hallwa

rapped three crisp ti

nt

nside echoed through the t

into my throat as I reac