No, no, no, no, no! This couldn't be happening! I had no savings! I was still trying to pay off my father's debt, and this job was all I had!
Panic bubbled inside me, threatening to erupt in the ugliest way possible, but I forced myself to breathe. I needed to focus. There had to be a way out of this situation. This couldn't be the end for us… could it?
Mancy took off her red-rimmed glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. “They expect us to clean up our desks and return the passes and company equipment by noon,” she said, her voice shaking.
Martin jerked up from his seat, his hands fisting. “This new CEO can't do this to us! We've done nothing wrong!”
“Actually, he can, and he did.” Kei stepped toward him, a dry smile twisting his lips. “The new CEO decided we're not needed here. That's it. We should just… pack.”
I wished I could argue with what he said, but we all knew the truth. Our work in that department was almost completely useless, and our reports had been rarely taken into consideration. Nonetheless, we were diligent, always thoughtfully analyzing every project we had been given.
“So that's it?” Fear and anger blended into Martin's voice. “We're just going to give up?”
My heart ached for him—for all of us. This wasn't fair. The new CEO knew nothing about us. Had he done it, he would have known we were all talented professionals in our field. Never even once had he talked to us, and just like that, he terminated our contracts?! Rage hummed in my veins, and my words mindlessly flew out before I could stop them.
“We should go and talk to him.”
Everyone's heads snapped toward me. Mancy blinked a few times, and then a wide smile spread across her face. “Brilliant idea, Josie! You should go talk to him and beg for mercy.”
Ashley clasped her hands. “I second that! He'll look into Josie's baby blue eyes, take in her innocent face, and he'll quickly regret his decision.”
A hysterical chuckle broke free. “I don't think this is a good idea.” I vehemently shook my head. “It's most likely a tragically bad idea.”
Martin ran toward me, grabbing my hands in his. “Please, I cannot lose this job. I have a family, and what other company would hire a freak like me?”
Mancy joined him, placing her hand on my shoulder. “You're our last hope, Josie. You are the only sane person in this room.”
Restlessness coiled inside me, but how could I say no when they all looked at me as if I were their heaven-sent savior?
“I'll… go.” Those two words slipped before I could stop them, and… that was it. I sealed my fate in the most brainless way possible.
My team clapped their hands, smiled at me, and patted my back like I was their knight on the way to slay the dragon. Panic slowly scratched its way out to the surface, but it was too late. Mancy opened the door and pushed me out into the corridor. I stared at her, bewildered, watching the door close.
Standing alone in the basement hall, I sucked in a shaky breath, still unable to comprehend my situation… and then it hit me—Killian. If the bully from my high school and our CEO were the same person, there was no way in hell I would convince him to do anything for us. Hell, my stomach churned at the mere thought I might see him again.
A cold shiver licked the nape of my neck. I had to tell all of them I couldn't go there… but what if I truly was our last hope? Mustering my courage, I walked to the elevator and stepped inside the car. A heartbeat passed, and I was on the way to the top floor, where the CEO's office was. My body rattled as I stared at the screen with changing floor numbers.
“I can do this. I can do this. I can do this,” I muttered breathlessly, ineptly trying to convince myself. “Maybe it's not him. There must be many Killian Blairs living in New York, right?”
The problem was that my bully was also rich, just as rich as the current CEO, which significantly decreased the chances for my dark assumptions to be incorrect.
The elevator door opened, and I sucked in a sharp breath, stumbling into the bright corridor with a white marble floor. Steadying my steps, I moved forward to the hall with white leather sofas and a reception desk. I nibbled on my lower lip as I walked over to the black-haired receptionist who looked as if she had been torn from some high-end fashion magazine.
“Um… Excuse me,” I murmured, feeling more awkward with every second.
Her lips pursed as she scanned me from head to toe. I couldn't miss the moment her eyes stopped at my employee's pass and her lips twitched into a brief sneer. Finally, her eyes landed on me. “Are you lost? Shall I direct you down?” The disrespect in her tone was more than evident.
My annoyance blazed, but I squashed it in my clenched fists before stretching my lips to a faint smile. “I'm Josephine Clairmont from the Data Revising Department. I would like to meet with Mr. Killian Blair.”
God, I couldn't believe I actually used his name and the word “meet” in one sentence.
The brunette glanced at her red nails and gave me a curt response: “Mr. Blair is busy.”
I stretched my lips further. “I can wait,” I told her. “Is he at the meeting or in his office?”
Her jaw clenched. “He is busy.”
“I only need five minutes,” I assured.
“He is busy,” she repeated, and I barely resisted rolling my eyes.
Suddenly, the elevator door opened, and the tall, dark-haired man stepped into the corridor. He strode toward the CEO's office with his eyes trained on his phone screen.
It was him. THAT Killian—my least favorite Killian in the world.
I stopped breathing. My heart stopped. Everything within me stopped! Well… maybe except for my brain. The little cogs inside it worked at full speed, quickly overheating at the sight of the man in front of me.
“God,” I let out a strangled moan, slowly taking in his body wrapped in an impeccable charcoal suit.
The fabric of his shirt and pants strained, underlining the muscles hidden underneath. Killian Blair had always been good at sports, and he surely didn't stop working out now. My reason must have malfunctioned since his carved-to-perfection body was suddenly all I could think of.
Inwardly cursing, I willed my gaze higher, to his face. Another mistake. His features now seemed sharper—more dignified—turning him into an even more alluring version of Killian Blair I had used to know. His hair remained as dark and unruly as I had remembered. The little scar below his left eye had turned into a thin, barely noticeable white line that added a touch of dark and dangerous to his already irresistible looks.
I ground my teeth. This was unfair. It would have been so much easier if I hadn't salivated while looking at the man whom I had hated and feared for years.
Killian lifted his gaze, locking his green eyes on me. His steps slowed, and something akin to curiosity surfaced in his expression. “Are you here to see me”—he glanced at the pass hanging around my neck—“Ms. Clairmont?”
There was something about the way he emphasized my name. He didn't recognize me… did he? Oh, God… did he realize who I was?!
“There's something familiar about you.” He leaned over me, his eyes cautiously tracing every inch of my features. “Have we met before?”
My breath caught in my throat, and my insides twisted into little knots. This couldn't be happening. If he recognized me then we sure as hell were going to get fired! I had to do something, draw his attention elsewhere, act dumb if I had to...
I cleared my throat. “Um… yes. I'm from the Data Revising Department, and I would like—”
“There is no such department in my company,” he said curtly.
I sucked in a sharp breath. “Well… there was until this morning, and I just—”
“You came here to beg.” A dark smirk twisted his full lips.
My jaw clenched. “Mr. Blair, I came to ask you to reconsider—”
“I see no reason for it.” Annoyance surfaced in his tone. “But go ahead.” He pinned me with his cold stare. “Do tell me, what projects have your team revised that are now profitable for this company?”
“There are no such projects,” I strained through my teeth. “But it's not our fault that—”
“I reconsidered my decision... and it remains as it was. I expect you to leave your workplaces by noon.” Those cold green eyes fixed on me. “Good day, Ms. Clairmont.” He walked past me—or attempted to—until he realized I was grasping his sleeve, refusing to let go.
I swallowed. “I'd argue it's more of the company's fault for not giving us a chance to make our name. I mean, we are talented and qualified people who never got assigned an important task. We at least deserve a chance to prove ourselves.”
A dark chuckle escaped him, and my stomach churned. I remembered that sound, and hearing it had never meant anything good. I'd heard that chuckle a second before Killian's friends poured a bucket of ice cubes over my head—a more literal version of the ice bucket challenge. I remembered how freezing and painful it had been, and I began to brace myself for more of Killian's wickedness…
“All right. I will give you a chance, talented and qualified Ms. Clairmont.” A sneer danced on his lips. “Are you familiar with the game called Rainbow Vacation?”
“Yes,” I answered nervously. “My team revised it a month ago. We found multiple glitches in the basic codes—”
“Fix them.”
My breath caught and my eyes widened. “E-excuse me?”
“Fix them.” He shrugged. “Show me how talented and qualified you are. Turn this game into a sellable product.”
My heart began to hammer. We had seen that game. We had mocked its creators and claimed that this project had been completely unfixable. It needed to be rewritten, broken into basic elements, and recreated…
Sucking in a ragged breath, I raised my gaze to his. “We will need two… maybe three weeks to—”
“You have twenty-four hours.”
“What?” I breathed out, staring at him in disbelief.
An icy smirk formed on his full lips. “Talented and qualified people should be able to do what I ask, should they not?” He pushed past me and headed toward his office. “Twenty-four hours, Ms. Clairmont,” he called out, glancing over his shoulder. “Deliver the project or leave my company.”
“What a fucking jerk!” Ashley growled, grabbing one of the colorful vodka shots from the table and pouring it down her throat.I had no strength left to support her rage. We were sitting by the kitchen table in her apartment, more than a dozen little glasses prepared to soothe our nerves in one of the least healthy ways possible. My fingers slid around the rim of the glass as I numbly stared down at my liquor. I wished the alcohol could solve my problems or at least dull my restlessness. It didn't. I had rarely drunk strong liquor, and by now, I should have been hiccupping and laughing like a happy idiot, but after emptying six shots, I remained irritatingly sober.Our team had bravely accepted the CEO's challenge. We had tried, we truly had, and we failed… miserably. This was an impossible task, and we had known it from the beginning. The CEO must have known that too. He had never wanted to give us a chance. He taunted us… “Arrogant bastard!” Ashley continued, reaching for another g
“So, where is your highly irresponsible boyfriend?” Killian's gaze was intense enough to drill inside my head.I sucked in a sharp breath. “He couldn't make it.”“Such a shame.” Amusement danced on his lips as he stepped closer. “But are we truly talking about your boyfriend? Or a meaningless date?”What kind of a game was that? And what was he trying to achieve? I ground my teeth. “Does it matter?”He breathed out a chuckle. “I suppose it doesn't as long as he's not here.” I forced myself still as he studied me. “May I know your name?”Air escaped my lungs, but my mind warned me I shouldn't feel relieved. This might have been a trick. Still, just in case, it was safer to lie.“My name is—”“Josephine!”I cursed under my breath hearing Ashley's voice behind me.“There you are!”Shit. She must have noticed me but didn't realize who I was talking to. If I let her come here, things could only turn from bad to worse!“My friend is looking for me.” I gave Killian a nervous smile. “I need to
Two hours later, I still tried to process what had happened. Restlessness held me tightly in its clutches, and I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder as if expecting Killian to jump out and reveal his true, entirely wicked reason for helping me. His whispered words kept ringing in my mind, triggering icy shivers. What did he want from me? Did he know who I was?I shook my head, chasing away the horror-like scenarios my mind eagerly provided. I couldn't let myself drown in an unreasonable fear. I was sitting with my friends, sipping expensive wine, and enjoying delicious food. I could only taste these luxuries until the end of the cruise, and I promised myself not to spoil my time thinking about the nightmares from my past. Fortunately, Dylan decided to keep his distance from me just in case I truly turned out to be somehow involved with Killian Blair. Of course, he wouldn't be the only one wondering. From the moment Killian called me his “date,” I had been watched by count
I barely remember how I got through the day. A thick layer of anxiety coated every inch of my body as my mind eagerly provided thriller-movie-worthy scenarios. I was on the freaking tabloid cover. Fine, my face was barely recognizable, and my identity was still unknown to the reporters… but what if someone found out?“Why would anyone care about a nobody like me?” I laughed, trying to mock my restlessness. Unfortunately, my nerves didn't disappear even as the night came, forcing me to toss and turn for long hours before I finally drifted into blissful unawareness.The doorbell sound pierced through my sleep. I groaned and rolled to the other side of the bed, determined to ignore it, but it rang again and again, forcing me awake. Cursing under my breath, I willed my eyes open and dragged myself out of bed.“Someone's at the door!” I called out, hoping that one of the twins would open it.The bell rang again, and the banging on the door followed. Groaning, I stumbled out of my bedroom an
KILLIAN“It's open!” I called out through the corridor before entering my study.I heard the faint squeak as the door opened and closed, and I didn't have to look over my shoulder to know that Tony followed me, a bottle of scotch in hand. It was nearly our ritual to drink in my penthouse whenever things went bad, and tonight I had a perfect reason to drink.I stopped in front of my three-piece suite and gestured at him to sit on the sofa while I grabbed two glasses from the cabinet. When I returned, Tony had the bottle opened and ready to fill the glasses with amber liquor. I slumped onto the chair in front of him and pinched the bridge of my nose.“That bad?” Tony chuckled, handing me my glass.“My father is planning my slow and painful death as we speak,” I muttered before drawing a sip. “I promised him no more scandals.”Tony's lips formed a crooked smile. “Hugging a girl can hardly be called a scandal. I'd say it's your most decent picture I've seen in tabloids.”I gave him a look.
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