the cottage. His laptop glowed in the dim light. The battery was at twenty percent. He had spent the last three hours tethering h

chairs in offices that cost more than the entire county of Oakhaven. Julian sat in the center of the grid. He looked perfect

by the bad connection. "He does not understand why the head of Vane-Corp is currently hiding

che in his back. "I am securing the intellectual property. Without June's

named Eleanor who had been with Silas since the beginning. "Why are you still t

d by money. She is motivated by the orchard. I am reb

eplace you is scheduled for two hours from now. Unless you can pre

ad turned a dark, sickly green. The wind was howling through the trees. He saw

o go," Si

ou dare hang up,

e wind. The air was cold. It felt like needles against his skin. He found June near the irrigation pump. Water was spr

ater stops, the pressure will burst the pipes in the house. If it

ch from the floor. The metal was freezing. He waded into the mud. It

t off valve!"

the manual override. Bea ran out of the house with a flashlight. She didn't say a w

blood in his mouth. He didn't stop. He wiped his face with his shoulder and gripped the wrench again. He threw his entir

it!" Ju

ss. He slumped against the side of the pump house. He was soaked to the bone. He was covered in black greas

oked at him with something tha

t," Silas

She saw the bruise forming on his jaw. She reached into h

ll rough, but the edge was gone. "But you're a hard work

e. He didn't have time to shower. He stripped off his wet shirt and put on the only clean thing

there. They were mid-argument. Julian was talking

ke he had been in a street fight. His hair was a mess. His jaw

u?" Eleanor asked. S

. This orchard is the only reason Vane-Corp exists. If you want to vote me out because I am not wearing a tie, then do it. But know this. June

started to speak, but

ip with the owner. If we lose the IP, Globex will sue us for

" Julian spat. "He l

or said. "The vote is cancelled. Silas, you have unti

he nearly fell out of his chair. He had won. He was still the CEO. But as he looked

owl of warm water and some bandages. She didn't ask. She sat

the call," Ju

s said. "Julian

ittle. It was the first real smile she had given hi

s gone. The fake marriage felt a thousand miles away. "I

face. She looked into hi

. His skin was rough. Hers was sof

standing. But the space between them was changing. The lines were blurring. Silas Vane had come to Oakhaven t