THE BILLIONAIRE'S PHOENIX

till sm

or a moment, leaning my head back against the plush leather seat. It's a special kind of torture.

ped me hard and rightly marked me as a creepy pervert. The whole meeting was my doing, of course. There was no real need for a desig

e eyes before her professional mask slammed back into place. That smal

eyes were wide with surprise, and her fingers had clutched the fabric of my blazer, holding on tight. My hand was splayed across her lower back, feelin

I left Aethelred House, and I

d for 11 am today," Simon says from the seat b

nd check my watch. Twenty minutes left. "Te

t 1 p.m. Then, a 3 p.m. conference call with the Hong Kong office regarding the shipping logistics." He then adds,

ce I'm in the office. My patience is wearing thin. I need a distra

Vanessa Ashford," I say

iginally from here, in Brooklyn, but five years ago, she moved to Santorini with her brother. That's it. Ther

y frustration. "But they're hitting walls. It's li

the tinted window at the blur of the city.

ing no room for argument. "I don't care

orrison," Ethan Croft says, a slick, practiced smile on

. And all I can think about is the memory of Vanessa Ashford staring at him across that crowded room. That same intense, focused

ent, Mr. Croft. It seemed you wouldn't take no for an

es International has shown steady growth over the last four years, which is fine for a mid-tier company. Their numbers are solid, but there's nothing groundbreaking about them. There's no re

ship would allow Morrison World to integrate a fully-vetted, domestic textile supply chai

orrison World, with all its resources, choose to invest in you? What mak

to innovation and our agile business model allows us to adap

ring. I counter, pointing out a minor flaw in his last quarter's pr

ly opportunistic. I throw him a curveball, a hypothetical m

ll of corporate buzzwords with no real substance. I'm almost done. I stand up,

rison, I am far more capable than my company's current profile suggests. For instance

at so?" I've never heard his name in connection with that project. Of cou

," he insists,

ell him with a dismissive scoff. "That was

face flushing. He stands, forcing another th

s shut, I press the inter

most immedia

joint venture between us and the Ashford Group

leave but pauses at the door. "Also, sir, the agents have just received a new data packet o

ion cuts through my

more of the same-confirmed details about her education, her professional accolades, her property in Santorini. There is nothing about her parents. N

same godd

le shut. "Thi

n her past is... highly advanced, sir. It's not just hidden...it's as if the traces were never there to b

I press, my

e resources and motiv

vation. The screen flashes FATHER. I dismiss Simon with a w

ick shut before I answer,

Simon informs me you've authorized a significant investment into Aethelred House. I wasn't notified of this prior to the commitme

e drifting to the city skyline. I can't tell him the truth. I can't say because of a woman. Becau

oming Winter Couture collection is predicted to be a global event. Aligning Morrison World with that level of cultural influence opens doors to a new, hi

ng for the flaw. "A branding play," he repeats, his tone neutral. "It's an uncon

jaw tightens slightly. "My confidence is in the

e warning clear. "The board w

ming something more. The deeper I dig into Vanessa Ashford, the more the mystery around her pulls me in. An investment in her