Billionaire's Bloody Deal

ns and my former boss, rushed forward, his fac

plete oversight on our part. We take full res

Julian was almost

ing's face w

, possibly months, and an untold amount in remediation. Sterling Holdings is term

ied the weight of an executioner's sent

erling, please! We can fix t

actically

eel and walking towards his car, his

d grim looks and also began to disperse. It was a clear signal: Apex

, and confronted his remaining team, which

ed here? Who is responsi

oomed acros

ied to shift the blame even as she

eramental. But yes, I... I authorized the expedited p

while deflecting her own cr

was your job to manage it, Bell!

e stopped short of f

ctual relationship with Julian Sterling. Was I a pariah, or someone wi

and a strange, new deference. "You need to talk to Sterli

ake me use whatever supposed con

gaze, my

nal design was sound. This failure is on Apex, on Veronica, on you for pu

tle I had left to clin

an or be used as your pawn," I stated, my voice clear and f

desperation in his eyes t

very firm in this city knows about your... 'colorful' past. Every rumor,

He was exploiting my past, my vulne

or years, was just as opportunistic and ruthless as the rest of them. His loy

yself. To understand what game he was playing. But I

s that would be. I had to try and salvage something,

ing the lion's den. The receptionist, a woman with a perfectly sculpted, disdainful exp

he asked, her voice

calm and professional, despite the knot of anxiety in

Mr. Astor is a

ule that was likely blank, she sighed dramati

ed it was a mo

rnity. An hour ticked by. Then another. It was a deliberate power play, de

morning. But I sat straight, my purse clutched in my lap, refusing to show an

didn't even glance in my direction. I hesitated, a part of me wanting to stand up, to demand answers, but the momen

e paused, his gaze lingering for a moment, a question in his eyes, be

at. What could I even say if I did get to see Liam? Or Julian? My

ed my name, her voice bored. She handed me a lukewarm b

see you now. Th

lt like another

elty. He was enjoying this, making me wait, making me sq

ian was on a call with Liam,

readable in his voice as he glanced at the security feed show

r, I'll give her that. Or just

sidered fo

. Let's see what Ms. Moren

of something else – curiosity, perhaps, or the ant

oor, a complex, almost predatory smile