cited face, offering a polite

! They say she's a Ph. D. from Oxford, made some huge b

ed on her mouse, her k

emain neutral, shaking her hea

big boss is a huge fan. Not only is she an expert for the lab, but

ct Ch

er baby. Now had a "consultant" named Dana Warren? A consu

Dana money, but plastering her name onto

rn to her computer, to the mind-numbing administrative tasks,

a bathroom break, Krystle f

and dialed her mentor, the project'

you about an external expert named Dana Warren

ne of our private-sector funders. Her resume is impressive on paper, and they insisted.

ad against the cold wall. So that was it. Damion was

find a new message from Chlo

't believe what I saw

yped back

g elegant as she carried a brand-new, ostrich leather Hermès Birkin bag. A man stood beside h

I heard you have to spend a fortune on other items just to be o

absurd, yet perfectly logical

eeded

from her purse. She typed its product numb

, expensive. But a link to a luxury goods forum

requirement to be offered a Birkin bag in that specif

sted as a perfect, common item to

made se

ad ever given her in four years

uy so the woman he loved cou

ess than a handbag. She w

iled. It was a smile devoid of warmth,

r of affection she might have held for Damion

is moods, of hiding her own brilliance to soothe his family's fragile

ermès scarf back in her purse. It no lon

desk. "Krystle, department dinner tonigh

ne who tried to fit in

. "No, I have something to do.

by her tone, sh

socializing. She had mo

le was the first to leave th

treet from Damion's office building. She sat by t

the woman who had turned her into an accessory,