her before she'd e

ted on the small table beside him, screen still lit. He wasn't looking at it. He didn't nee

gh his phone. He didn't look up when she

to her father's cheek, then did the same to Ilya, who

aid, gesturing to t

And Grandpa? I haven't

father's tone didn't move. "

. "Fishing?

landing at once. "You claimed the actor is your boyfriend." He said it plainly, no infl

second too late, a little

en toward her, just slightly. A photograph. Her hand on Thayer's a

ya said, voice even. "So w

ened he

ot support my family's private matters being parad

r father, then back. "He's aware. That's why he

slightly. "Are you

gaze without blinkin

head. "Isn't he an a

s, at least, entirely true. "He's an international ac

ventually put together who you are, now that half the country has your

ne public before. This is the first time. Nobod

en set the matter aside with the ease of a man

ck up. "You may return to your little job in the meantime. Enjoy the freedom while it l

ut before she could stop them. "Y

ot unkindly, "let me open a company

. "I don't want that. I want to bui

sation had already ended exactly where he intended it to. "Then when the time com

e words settling over h

the door before her father could say anything else th

d toward the handle, when she heard h

ven glancing up from his paper. "

simply shook her head, pulled

She hated it. The bows, the titles, the way everyone treated her like something fragi

long drive without looking back at the house in her

-

ple trying very hard to look like they weren't paying any. Heads turned, then turned back to screens a half-second

op until she reached her office

open. No knock. Sofia burst in, dark hair pulled

ding right now." She caught her breath. "Wh

down slow

chair across from her. "He hasn't dated anyone publicly since Per

lightly. "His

ws went up. "Y

w wh

o think better of it. "Just... look i

hind the thought. Not the scandal. The six months stretching ahead

the house tonight. If he doesn't come, if he doesn't do thi

one rang, sha

ed it up.

." The line went dead b

wn slowly, then looked

-

stepped into Mr. Cole's office. He

ters," he said, not looking up from his d

ake car

is is Belton Entertainment, Zoya. We don't do tabl

h all due respect," she said, voice low and ev

d, turned, and rea

d after her, sharp and final. "Don

ehind her, she let out a breath through her teeth and muttered a curse under it. "W

eached the elevator, jabbing th

own. Straight t

-

ng along in the morning light, when his

the scre

e. "I found her. The woman from the gala. She wor

ed slightly on the whe

e's a pr

y, not some socialite drifting through galas for sport. An actual job, at an actual st

exhaled.

ignal. He pulled out of the lane he'd been in, cut across two others to a chorus of irritate

-

already waiting for her near the front entra

, security guards lined up in a loose barrier to keep them back from t

t? You're Thayer Yudin's girlfriend. Of course there a

h her hair, scattering it

toward the d

ht her arm. "You're g

was set. "So I need to go give them whatever answe

are you