Josephine Clairmont. I should have never allowed myself to forget that name. I had never been the one who tormented the weak. I had made Josephine Clairmont my exception. Perhaps I should have been wiser, more mature, more lenient, but I just couldn't make myself forgive someone who had helped my mother get rid of my first love.If she hadn't turned out to be a greedy bitch and she had kept her mouth shut, maybe I would have grown up to be a different man. Not that cold and heartless. Would my relationship with Estelle have lasted? Well, that was something I would never be able to find out, and I had the innocent-looking Josie to blame for it.I still wondered how much my mother paid her for spying on me. Judging by her current financial situation, destroying my first relationship hadn't gotten her enough. The fact that she might have sold the information for a drastically low price infuriated me even more.As the years went by, I realized that the simple schoolgirl couldn't have know
JOSIE“He's a world-class jerk!” I roared before pouring the rest of the wine in my glass down my throat. It was my third glass, but I couldn't care less. I had no job interviews the next day, and I definitely shouldn't care whether I got drunk. Perhaps I even should get drunk. It might lessen the anger buzzing in my veins like a swarm of wasps. “Selfish, arrogant, bastard!”“Don't forget that he's a super-rich and hot as fuck bastard.” Aaron grinned, grabbing the bottle from the kitchen counter and refilling my glass.“Not funny.” Ashley shot her brother a meaningful glare.Aaron shrugged. “I'm only stating the facts. This guy IS rich and he IS hot.” He sat next to me by the kitchen table and fixed his eyes on me. “Frankly, if he wants to pay you for playing his girlfriend, I can't see the reason why you should refuse his offer.”I flipped him a bird, and Ashley snorted. “You so don't get it, brother. This guy thinks he can do whatever he wants, and Josie should just happily accept w
The van stopped in front of one of the high-end apartment buildings on Park Avenue. The door opened, and Mr. Colt extended his hand to help me out of the car. My heart thundered, and my body flooded with cold sweat, but I kept my expression blank. The last thing I wanted was for those men to know just how terrified I was.If Killian Blair wanted me to acknowledge just how powerful he was, he achieved it tenfold. I even began to debate whether I had made a mistake walking away from him last time. Certainly, that pondering lasted only until I recalled his words about my father. My resolution instantly formed in a blaze of rage. I would not let him threaten me and force me to do anything, and if he tried to… I would fight with all the skills I possessed.I was led through the elegant reception hall toward the elevators. “This way,” Mr. Colt said, gesturing at the one reserved for the penthouse. An apartment with a private elevator... How unsurprising.Grinding my teeth, I walked inside t
Was I doing the right thing? Probably not. Did the perspective of dealing with Killian Blair almost every day scare the holy crap out of me? Definitely yes. So why did I agree to all this? Well, I told myself that it was because I needed a job—and not just any job but a decent, well-paid one.I still had over fifty grand to pay to my father's creditors, and they were the people I certainly didn't want to mess with. I needed to keep my payments steady much more than I needed to eat three meals a day. In my situation, the director's salary was like a dream come true. Wouldn't I be an absolute fool to reject such an opportunity?The thoughts kept swirling in my head as I waited for Killian to finish talking with his lawyer over the phone. It was about the contract I was going to sign. Surely, it sounded more like I was about to sell my soul to the devil.“Patrick, my lawyer, will be here within an hour,” Killian informed me as he walked over to the sofa. He sat next to me, and I instantl
Killian had given me three days to say goodbye to my old life. After that, I would have to move into his penthouse and officially become his girlfriend. Of course, that change would also mean beginning my job in a shiny, brand-new position, and I couldn't wait for that to happen.It was two in the morning when I returned to Ashley's and Aaron's apartment. I assumed they would both be asleep by now. My plan was to quietly open the door and sneak into my bedroom. Well, I highly underestimated their curiosity and impatience…The second I opened the door, the lights in the corridor turned on. The twins stood at the opposite end of it, both giving me a meaningful look. A nervous chuckle escaped me. “Hi,” I muttered, awkwardly waving my hand.Aaron locked his eyes on me. “Beer, wine, whiskey, or vodka shots?”My lips twitched into a half-smile. “Um… I drank wine, so I'd rather—”“I'm asking, what should WE drink while listening to YOU?” He crossed his arms over his chest.I shrugged. “I'd s
KILLIAN“We've prepared the funds and all contracts just like you wanted, Mr. Blair,” Patrick informed me, and I could feel my muscles relax. It was the crucial part of the plan, and it was even more important for my father never to find out about it.“Excellent. Thank you for completing everything on such short notice.”“That's what you pay me for, Mr. Blair.” Patrick chuckled.I ended the call and leaned back in my chair. Tony watched me from a sofa, a cup of espresso in hand. I could never understand that guy's work schedule and how he could afford to sit in my office for hours while running a multi-billion-dollar company. He took a sip from his cup and narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you sure about this?”My brows knitted. “You have to be more specific.”“I don't mean the fake-girlfriend part; it was my idea anyway. I mean… Making her a director in a company on the verge of bankruptcy is a little…”“Dangerous? Ridiculous? Reckless as fuck?” I offered. “That's why I've taken precautio
JOSIE“Don't trip, don't trip, don't trip,” I muttered under my breath as I balanced on five-inch heels.The one-day high society survival camp Theresa had put me through paid off… or so I hoped. My hair had never looked more glamorous. My skin literally shone, and, for the first time in my life, everything within me seemed almost flawless. Of course, that was on the outside; my rattling insides were a completely different matter.Truthfully, I was terrified. I told Therese that going to Blair Digital during lunch hour was a terrible idea, but she only shook her head and laughed. “You'll be just fine, Josie,” she'd said then. “Besides, you need to practice. If you can't handle a few of your coworkers, how are you going to face a bunch of arrogant snobs?”She had a point. If I were to swim in the deep waters soon, I'd better start trying to float in the shallow waters first. So here I was—floating… sort of.My new appearance drew attention. I might not be dressed in screaming colors, b
Killian's words rang in my head long after our lunch had ended. He was right, though. I had crossed an invisible line. Signing that deal was something I would have never even considered doing just a month ago. I had been raised in the belief that breaking the rules was strictly forbidden and that those who broke them were to be punished. But that was not how the world was built.Over the years, I had seen it time and time again; some rules simply didn't apply to everyone. Those who were rich or knew the right people had privileges, while those like me… didn't. Also, the privileged ones were rarely punished for their deeds, even if those deeds were uniquely despicable. I painfully experienced it myself.Truthfully, I wasn't powerless either. As a teenager, I used to crack the codes and break into various systems for fun. I had the skills to bend some of the rules to my will, but since using my skills often required doing something illegal, I had thoroughly used them only once.I had br