THE COST OF LOVE AND PASSION

ed'

ings, encountered attacks from cutthroat business rivals, and the relentless scr

ere she had disappeared into her apartment building. My fingers dru

ords replayed in my head, and I hated h

sn't real. It cou

ssary piece of Margaret's carefully lai

hose wide, searching eyes, some

ning a hand t

red to myself before signali

sn't entirely sure who I was tryin

e walls of my penthouse-level workspace were made of glass, givi

hrough the latest financial

oor snapped me o

in," I

ls clicking against the marble floor. With her immaculate bob a

to approach her with a natural smile in an attempt to look li

iew," she said without preambl

d. "I al

y remark. "Kate han

ed. "S

moment, then leaned forwar

tight

not re

uds your judgmen

red, but I've been in this business long enough to

Kate is part of the

sake, I hope that's true. Because the mome

phone that had just set off a notification

ing me about you. Says she won't believe a

eal, Margaret had made Kate sign a Non Disclo

t a smal

an eyebrow. "Som

d. "Nothing I

Kate's apartment, an unexpected sense

the door swung ope

dazzle stones all over, and an oversized NYU sweater. Her long hair w

teased, stepping

Grace." I repli

unger sister, Sophia, sat cross-

assumed it was a single room, but there was a s

was well kept, ti

V on the wall it was

light green background, the couches were beige and fluffy, I loved the f

er's skeptical expression and

her eyes. "You

see you don't

suits who suddenly claim to be enga

ed. "Sophi

used. "Fair enough. I

as I moved to sit on the

half," she rep

nutes, Kate had rescinded to the k

ed me for a

about Kate that isn

e of homemade cookies and a glass of chilled yo

, my fingers intertwined as I loo

ust a little. Almost like she d

ened slightly.

hings," I s

ophia, who looked

e said, and she actually gestured by using her two fi

and hilarious to me howev

I'd expect n

sister has finished interrogating you, can you

through a wide smile, I didn't ev

the ladle can also be a murde

ith raised brows as I took a bi

aste like a feeling, like-Christmas!" I fed back,

aitress stroke an aspiring

e I guess," she

in her eyes was

ne classes and pra

me then, I gue

e yoghurt, I realized

-nice. Co

t was d

lean up while Sophia occupied herself with a

come," Kate said sof

et it aside. "Yo

ced up at

eeds to look real. And that inc

or a long moment

. Of c

turned away quickly, a

out it too much, my pho

on hardening instantly at th

in

ced my sudden shift

t is

jaw. "Nothin

e name on my phone, I

out a reason. And whatever that reason

t's been a delight being invited

about my rapid departure

ack. "I'll

back in my car befo

mooth voice came throug

ly. "What do yo

e?" His voice came from th

teering wheel. "I'm not in

"Shame. Becaus

d silent,

inally

view. Cute. But we both

empt to mask any faltering in my tone. The last t

what you're

can smell a business deal from a mile away. And

dangerous level. "Ar

at all. Just- reminding you that

"Stay out of my

as mocking. "You'll ruin m

n't a

u can. I have a feeling this fairy tale won't last

o stay calm. To calm my racing tho

s one thing I had learned over the ye

ediately we

e in

ched tightly

e as leverage, he was about to le