ee

e office. Not a single tex

ce wasn't

s str

nd Sophia soaked in attention like it

d Location

mall, private law firm. The reception

d. They're ex

rp-eyed lawyer greeted

eparation," he said. "But I hav

. For the child. And I want it locked in. No access, no interfe

nked. "You sur

m s

Presc

sn't kn

– Prescott

buzz of the building dulled

ra seventeen t

inkedIn about "leadership redemption," holding impromptu interv

s a fallen queen. And pain

e wors

were bu

y – Outside a

of well-dressed parents picked up t

told Cal she was

round for him-or anyone-to dec

aby k

as s

was e

r stomach and whispered, "

r phone

message.

a pic

h Sophia

escott – C

as Sophia breezed in, all

d you to stay aw

ake orders well. And your assistant

he snapped. "What

's pulling away. Fast. And the moment she full

ruptly, fury

n't get

linch. She only

let me, Cal. You j

rolled in li

like thoughts racing through her head. The day had been brutal-every step forward met with whis

or chimed behind h

the mood for visit

Cal's voice replied

d. "Could've

amp from the rain, his tie loosened, jaw tense. There was somethi

she said, her voice like ice. "

Sophia wasn't lying

pped toward

en things got messy with the board... I gave her influence in

" Nora cut in, her voice shaking. "

ike this," he said, eyes pleading. "I

ly a breath apart. You promised to protect me. You looked me in the eye and

meant to

you

Her chest rose and fell with every furio

he said, voice breaking. "You don't get to fig

" he sai

en-he

ce like it might shatter, and pressed his lips to hers. For a secon

e and apology and de

.. wante

him back-furious, hungry, aching. She pushed him b

o that," she whispe

t?" he

then make m

only thing left in his world. "T

weakness-but from wanting

his. "One more lie, Cal... and

their breaths ming

derst

s. "Then stay toni

u everything,

outside ra

in

d people in the eye of it,

shing across her cheek and the colder t

was

gs, the echo of last night still clinging to her sk

t nothing if he d

phone snapped her at

it and instant

read

d Confirms Strategic

ra.Halstead@p

ood ra

t sent a

om, phone in hand. The TV flickered with muted business

EXEC NORA HALSTEAD PLANNED MERGER FROM

omach

ng. But someone had used her name... and made it look li

she hit Cal's number.

n

ic

e ti

ered into the phone after

ne had pl

reputation anymore-it was a

were different. No longer whisp

looked at her li

e hall. A junior analyst flinched wh

est ti

envelope was waiting at her de

open

s of proposals. A mock-up press release...

am

culated. D

ticky note fel

er only works if y

ph

edge of her desk, so tight

botage her from the shadows, she'd und

ne buzz

evator cameras. 6 A.M. You'll

art po

. She didn't know who the message was

e wouldn't wa

burn the whole

ld, buzzing with fluores

," Nora said, her tone like ice. 6

ked at her. "M

also know what happens if you get in the way of a Prescott executive uncovering corporate esp

't argu

eo was

mestamped exactly as the message said. Nora leaned in

levator doo

here

a

Alone. Until the figur

ph

breath

losely. Sophia touched his a

tor doors

tagger

pered. "No, no

were burned i

t sabotage. Thi

ed up nervously

ntire body numb. She felt like she'd been played on

led Cal

cem

a singl

elevator with her

t wait fo

tension. He knew the press release had detonated across every m

k in Nora's eyes when she walked

footage,"

led. "Foota

phia. Eleva

d up witho

. "She's the one who framed me." Leaked th

d, quietly. "And

ering your own ass while I bleed for this company and

lenched at his sides. "I st

ection," she hisse

m - thick, sharp, filled with

l exhaled. "She

breath

se old documents-contracts my father signed. Thi

her?" Nora asked,

." His voice broke. "But I swe

away. Her ha

come to me,"

ing to pro

ou to. I asked

orward, but s

said. "Nora, I'm

en, furious, and still

d. "Because right now...

ng him alone in a sto