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Chapter 23

Author: Nicole Sasha
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Chapter 23

Shattered Glass, Broken Trust

Bass pulsed up through the floor and into me as I wove my way around the crowded apartment. This was my colleague Jake's birthday party, and the air in the place was thick with perfume, booze, and anticipation. I moved through the masses with red wine held to my chest like a shield.

"Ximena! You're here!" Jake's voice roared over the music as he scooped me up into a bear hug, nearly spilling my drink.

I plastered on a smile. "I dare n't have missed it, Jake. Happy birthday!"

Honestly, I'd rather be home curled up with a good book. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to contact Sofia when I tried calling her on the phone. Well, it was all part of networking, a fact of life as included in the job description, and Jake was one of the big fishes of our marketing department. So here I was, playing the role of a sociable CEO.

I surveyed the room, recognizing faces from work mixed with strangers. Before me, the night stretched out with so much small ta
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