ena

ee w

ok for my life to pret

yself it was a dream,something wild I'd made up after too much whiskey and heartbreak. But every night, whe

e way I

n. A secret I'd bury somewhere

got th

w Invitation – Bla

HR De

Monday,

private corporations in New York, the kind of company that belonged to men in thousand-dollar suits and

I ironed my least wrinkled blouse, tied my hair up, a

and intimidating. My heels clicked too

for an interview," I

lack, gave me a professional nod. "Twenti

ck at me in the mirrored walls:nervous eyes, trembling lips, cheap bl

a that the elevator was taki

an named Karen asked a few polite questions about my marketi

your experience aligns perfectly. The CEO personally reviews fina

asked, surpris

he interrupted. "Mr. Blackwood believes

it me like a

ack

t couldn't be him. There were probably hundreds of Bla

a mess of panic and curiosity. I couldn't shake

a tight knot. I was led into a conference room with floor-to-

ths, trying not to imagine

he door

world

that had filled the hotel room that night. The same

n Blac

His jaw tightened, his gaze flickered with recognition, b

evenly, extending a han

s they touched his.

e had to:he didn't show it

have a sea

The worl

t my past roles, my strengths, my weaknesses. But every w

ck in his chair. "You're l

He remembered. I could see it i

naged. "Some

n mine. "Stability is valuable.

,sharp, electric. Then he clo

're h

th caugh

work. You'll start Monday as my p

. There were other cand

cision," he said simp

me harder than

this was some cruel joke but t

ring me to reme

a storm in my veins. I leaned agains

e real. It sho

it

with, the man I'd thought I'd never

ught of being near him every day terrifie

act, how I'd pretend we were strangers. But when Monday came, all

behind him like a crown. When he turned, his ga

ng, Miss Mon

ning, Mr.

beat longer than ne

on something b

ch twiste

he said carefully, "stays there. It doe

ted to scream that it did exist that

ir," I w

Good. Then welcome to

n his pockets. I stood there, heart po

to bury the most int

y:smelling his cologne, hearing that voice, feelin

ce on shaking legs, prete

knew something h

Something darker,str

ed to stay professional, I co

the man who ruined