Chapter 20

Before the two employees could finish, the receptionist standing beside me cleared her throat, cutting them off. The moment they saw me, they instantly shut their mouths and hurried away with their heads down.

I watched them leave, confused by their panic. What were they whispering about? What had happened with Pierce that got his employees talking like that?

But work came first. I pushed aside my curiosity and extended my hand toward the older gentleman approaching me.

I’d heard that he was the backbone of the company, especially with Pierce being away—apparently on a business trip.

His eyes lit up when he saw me, a smile spreading across his face. "Miss Lambert, it’s been a while. You’ve changed quite a bit."

The meeting went smoothly, and the old man was surprisingly warm and full of praise. It was hard not to feel pleased with how well things were going. I was relieved that my history with Pierce hadn’t affected the deal.

Just as I was about to leave, the older man called out to me