I was sitting by the long table set on the dais. Several microphones were aimed at me like weapons. I had never felt any kind of discomfort while facing reporters and answering their questions… until now. The scene seemed almost familiar—this setting, the crowd of agitated reporters sitting in front of the podium, their anticipation satiating the air inside the hall. The only thing that didn't seem to fit was the woman sitting next to me—Estelle.I twisted in my seat, slowly scanning the beam stretching her red-tinted lips, the ridiculous cleavage that almost made her seem desperate for attention, and the large sparkling diamond on her finger. I had nothing to do with the ring, and I could only guess she either bought it herself or it was a gift from my father to help the false story look more “natural.”I kept my hands in front of me, fingers intertwined. I saw Estelle giving me a meaningful glance before clearing her throat. “Your hand,” she grunted.“What about it?” I strained thro
JOSIEThe plan was to avoid every single piece of information about Killian's and Estelle's press conference. I even refused to go to the cafeteria and hear other employees comment on their boss and his newest fiancée. Unfortunately, my plan failed when the coffee machine died, and I was forced to get my coffee from the Marketing Department floor.“I barely stifled a laugh.” A woman's voice came from the other side of the corridor. “Mr. Blair sat there with an emotionless expression while Ms. Yan struggled to convince everyone that they love each other. She looked sooo pathetic!”Another woman giggled. “I almost felt sorry for her.”“Yeah, me too. And have you seen the ring on her finger?” The first one snorted.“No one could have missed it. The diamond was so large, it's probably tragically uncomfortable to wear.”I cursed under my breath as I picked the coffee and waited for the machine to fill my cup. I wished that those two women could go somewhere else or lower their voices, but o
KILLIANIt was restlessness that slowly spread through my veins and tensed my muscles. I was on my feet before I realized it, unconsciously entering the elevator car and pressing Josie's floor button. I should have stayed away from the place where I could find her, but I couldn't, not this time. Thanks to one of my trusted security guards, I knew that Josie was still working despite the late hour. That alone wouldn't have put me on high alert, but the fact that Estelle had entered the building had.I had waited for a few minutes—long enough for Estelle to get from the entrance hall to my office—but she hadn't come. That could only mean she'd been visiting someone else, and I knew exactly where she'd gone.I passed the long corridor as my heart hammered against my ribcage. I heard the sound of a slamming door—the sound that came from around the corner. I cursed under my breath as I realized it could have come from Josie's office. A few heartbeats later, Estelle appeared in my part of t
My muscles couldn't relax even hours after I had returned from the residence. My stomach remained twisted as I considered all the possibilities. I gritted my teeth, annoyed by the fact that Father told me merely a few vague pieces of information without something significant I could grasp and analyze. It would have been fucking easier to know exactly what my father and my uncle had done. What kind of illegal deeds had they committed for the sake of keeping the company floating above the surface?My hand curled around the whiskey glass so tightly that I was close to breaking it. Fucking fools—my father and his brother both. Father wanted me to clean up the mess they had made, but what if this was something beyond fixing?“You haven't talked to your mother, have you?” Tony glanced at me from the sofa in my study.I shook my head. “Madelaine told me that Mother had an important meeting and left.”His brows rose. “Do you think she's avoiding you after what happened the last time you met?”
JOSIE“Something's come up. Urgent matters. We can't meet tonight.”I read the message from Killian and frowned. He was doing it again. He kept me in the dark. Hadn't we promised to keep each other informed about everything? When my team and I had contacted Yichen, I'd sent Ashley to tell Killian about it right away. Why couldn't he at least tell me a short version of the reason we couldn't see each other?I sat on the bed and rubbed the aching spot on my chest. Would I ever find the right moment to tell him how I felt about him? A part of me hoped this confession would change something between us. Maybe he would confess too?A wave of heat flooded my cheeks. Even thinking that Killian might confess his love to me sent my heart racing… But what if I was the only one who felt something? What if this was merely an infatuation for him, and now whatever he'd felt for me before Estelle showed up was slowly dying? That would explain his current lack of trust, wouldn't it?I sucked in a ragg
KILLIANThe blood in my veins turned into molten lava as I stared at Helio Salazar and Josie through the two-way mirror. This guy was lying. He had to. But Josie knew him; she didn't deny it or the fact that she had delivered him packages. Still, she was sitting there, shaking her head and fisting her hands. She looked at Helio with disgust, almost like she didn't know Helio Salazar had been working for my mother before and learned only now...“I'm going inside,” I told Gunner before grabbing the door handle.“Wait.” Gunner grabbed my arm, pulling me to a halt. “Don't interfere just yet.”I ground my teeth. “This isn't right. She clearly has no idea what he is talking about.”“But the photos say something different, don't they?” He gave me a wry smile.I released the door handle and dragged my hand over my face. “I know, and this is what bothers me the most…”I shifted my gaze back to the two-way mirror and fixed my eyes on Josie. I could see the thin layer of tears filling her eyes,
“It would have been so much easier if we had those in better resolution,” Tony grumbled as he stared at the photos. “There's not much I can do with those poor-quality copies.”“I'm aware. Josie said the same thing.” My lips twisted into a wry grimace as I recalled her frustration.Tony scratched his chin before meeting my gaze. “How is she holding up, by the way?”“She is pissed, and I cannot blame her.” I got up from my chair and snatched the half-full decanter from the cabinet. “I told her to stay in her apartment for a few days, but the truth is that it'll be damn hard to prove anything without my mother, and she's not even answering my calls.” Tony chuckled, and I gave him a look. “I don't see how you find it amusing.”“Of course, it's amusing.” Tony rolled his eyes. “Your mother tried to make you talk to her for years. Now you get to see what it feels like.”I shook my head. “I wouldn't mind her going MIA in any other situation, but now, I'm not the only one who needs her to be h
JOSIEI knew Killian wanted me to stay in my apartment, but I couldn't. I'd spent hours pacing around the rooms, forcing my brain to miraculously find a way out of this situation. I had even called Veronica Rendall, telling her about Estelle's move. She'd promised to help me deal with the press if everything went south. Knowing I had her by my side helped a little, but the restlessness still hugged me tightly like an annoying friend, one impossible to get rid of.I was inching closer to a mental breakdown when Ashley called me, suggesting we have lunch together. I agreed right away. I knew my decision might have been reckless. Then again, I couldn't hide in my apartment forever just because Estelle might have come up with another evil plan.“So… this Salazar or whatever... He tries to frame you, right?” Ashley asked in between stabbing pieces of salad with her fork.I nodded. “It looks like it. Estelle or someone working for her must have paid him to tell this odd story. He tried to c