rrived w

r most, it was a gloomy start to the week. For Agnes Hart, it was the first day she would walk into a n

d earn

nd stared into her bathroom mirror. Because something still lingered in her mind-

e

job. Not

king now that things were f

buzzed on

le today. But just in case-coffee

d and grabb

her to

Begi

pped out of the elevator. But the moment she cro

spe

an

smi

thing ne

longtime friend, greeted her with a h

"Am I supposed

And then casually land our bigges

hrough the note

ok now, but Gerald Langston's mole in this department is p

. "Let them watch. I'

with every hour. For the first time in wee

fter noon, her p

Ja

We need to talk.

ge for a long moment be

tt

ast R

last person she expected-or wanted-t

wicked whisper, pu

smug confidence, dressed in a navy blazer and open col

, as if her name hadn't o

arms. "This is

want t

of that when y

look uncomfortable. "Can we

ounge near the back. Glass walls. Minimal privacy. S

do you

e a mi

twisted. "Yo

kno

eally made

rd. "I saw the press

htened. "Wh

belong in

ugh. "Wow. That's the

Matthew said. "

that. Survive

y... I regret what I did. I thought

she said

fro

nd realized what you lost. I am not a backup plan. I am not a regret.

ew fl

dbye, Matthew. Do

Fa

rs, Agnes f

cause Matthew's words echoed with

belong in

hought that

ork. Avoided James's calls all afternoon, even

nd her, alone in a conference room with a half-eat

cked g

ed up, s

odging me," he

been w

, shut the doo

ated. "Matt

tilled.

ade a mistake. That I don

in two strides. "You

aire, James. You own this world. I'm the

said. "You made yourself indisp

'm pretending

en pretend until it feels real.

linked.

you walked into my life and suddenly everything felt

tung he

e you,

stunned

didn't

eady this time. "And I don't

for a beat, her

I love

hat Change

t, deep, grounding. And i

e a per

ke a p

e a dec

d apart, Agnes

ers. "Let them question. Let the

l. "And I'll stop que

use you belong in ever

Night – New

James's penthouse, the rain returned,

you ever wonder what would've happened if

found another plan. But

think this

es said, pulling her

s around her, Ag

he past h

had opene

, she wasn't