nn

cold cedar clinging to his dark wool coat, car

g my racing thoughts to stay quiet. I could no

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 manage

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

sign division gathered in

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

r and the undisputed department heartthrob

brilliantly the campaign had performed under his leadership. Everyone

resentation was less of an official summary and more

, Julian's gaze drifted over the

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

r. I had heard those flattering words enough times

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

when a crisp knock sounded a

nto the room, holding

inston requests your prese

into absolute,

could instantly feel a dozen pairs of eyes

ary employee had ever stepped foot on. Company-wide briefings were held on th

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

othly, his tone as impenetr

tood,"

refused to fade, my mind still cluttered with the memo

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

essive chivalry toward his female sta

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

an through the room as I tucked my p

aching the executive penthouse required biometric facial recognition and hi

nd the bronze doors sealed shut behind us as

against the polished wood paneling. "Can you at

er with a faint, knowing smirk. "Though hi

a

od only knew how many times he

i

am led the way down the quiet, vaulted hallwa

d rapped three crisp

nt

inside echoed through the

into my throat as I reac