me as everyone settled into their se

xecutives, producers, and a few invited clients. Their conversatio

ghtly on the polished table b

a said calmly, "pleas

ward me at once. I could

cond, I forgot

rose to

side me, my expressi

roe, a media strategis

iefly befor

m here wit

lips curv

repeated, tilting her

n echoed in

Robert for

t, he didn't rescue me, he simply waited. I knew

n a slow

is fia

immediate

ectors leaned back in

nged looks with the pro

d across the table be

remaine

ied me c

fidence in m

ension hidden b

ped Victoria

sm

of someone whose expectat

m," I said carefully after n

ictoria corr

ve spent years aski

d around

ert Kane final

huckles spread thr

ia con

lves that my son had absolu

t laughte

ighed. M

gnored him

ed proudly, "those rumor

ed direc

.. I wasn't ex

widened

rtainly w

self to smi

you,

a nodde

that when Robert fin

have to be e

ent didn't

It made me eve

Victoria spoke pu

tfully, "I won't have to wait much l

e around the

nally spo

around, he felt r

m, but this time it ca

a looke

ha

essary," Robert said with

isag

ded her hand

e perfec

tood imm

the rest of

rd members cleared hi

"shall we begin today's presentation? Ou

ria n

cour

toward me o

ore we b

smiled

to the Ka

my head

you,

quiet confidence. But I have a fe

s briefly before lett

the

ted her attention to

y's strategic board meeting is being broadcast live to

rnational partners

egistered

cupied trying to surviv

s dimmed

sentati

ed to

n: charts, market projections, producti

moving from one slide to another

ts were e

an entire room of strange

d no longe

the composure of someone who controlled

rectors beside her, correcting figures or asking short

t help no

sn't simply

everyone in the r

sentation, another slid

go slowly fad

REN

heard Soltren I didn't really pay atte

nder's rival,"

rrowed ins

ward without

ispered unde

turned

t is

er steppe

roup has dominated the advert

y has affected several

tbeat q

had once talked a

enter co

ing clients, our research indicates they are cu

y stomac

campa

on it only th

Soltre

tation cha

graph

vertising territories

suddenly

ergency meetings.The constan

at Alexander had bee

zation ca

the change in

e pale," he

I replied au

asn

ven c

tinued for almo

ally stood, every

dently. "We'll continue the remaining discussi

began gatherin

xchanged

ions filled the

e stepped into the corridor

yourself we

d a tire

e someone's fiancée counts as

, Bianca," Ro

day," I

didn'

the elevato

ke until we reach

y, another thought struck me

t not

happ

m," I r

expired th

red my

hing I had just to st

in my voice was

to settle the balance. Robert l

miled rea

orry abo

oked

ager," he responded as he ta

I responded, trying

," he r

d his personal assistant, telling her to pay

wante

sita

sed to acc

omeone I'd met le

u," I sai

t I can do," R

obert collected my number an

e back to my location

up with me, and I slept through most o

my way out that afternoon, my

d at the

ressio

ID displa

nder

ightened aro

he call and lifted

a calm, familiar voice

aftern

pause

ander spo

rs. K

caught in

ane alr