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elt deliberate. The structured shoulders of my suit held my back straight, keeping my head high. I focused on keeping my breathing slow, filling my lungs completely, exactly as Adrian had told me to do before I left the apartment. The receptionist stopped outside a massive wooden double door at the end of the hall. The polished brass nameplate on the wall beside it read: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. "He is ready for you," the receptionist said softly, gesturing toward the door. "Good luck, Miss Bennett." "Thank you so much," I replied, swallowing down the dry lump in my throat. I reached out and grasped the heavy brass handle. The cold metal sent a quick shiver through my palm, but I turned it without hesitation and pushed the door open. The office was huge, flooded with bright, warm sunlight from floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the entire city. A large mahogany desk stood in the center, neat and organized with pristine stacks of paper, a thin laptop, and a steaming black coffee mug. At first, the room seemed empty. Then I heard a rustle of movement near the window. A man was standing with his back to me, looking out at the city. He was broad-shouldered and tall, dressed in an immaculate dark tailored suit that fit his athletic frame perfectly. He held a black pen between his fingers, tapping it gently against his hip as he read a document. I took two steps into the room, letting the heavy door click softly shut behind me. I cleared my throat, adjusting my leather folder. "Good morning," I began, my rehearsed line sitting right on the tip of my tongue, pitched in the confident, steady tone Luca and I had practiced in the bedroom mirror. "My name is Olivia Bennett, and I am here for the-" The man turned around. The rehearsed line died instantly in my throat. The words melted away, leaving my mouth open in silent shock. The man stepped away from the window light, bringing his face into clear view. He had jet-black hair parted neatly to one side, a sharp, strong jawline, and striking steel-gray eyes that immediately locked onto mine. My breath caught sharply in my chest. My knees went weak, and for a terrifying second, I thought my legs might give out beneath me. I clutched my leather folder with