The Billionaire's Cold Heart

m

ca's words for th

gets bored

ung to my thoughts while I tried to absorb instructions from Michelle. It clouded my focus while I tried to schedule me

he ropes, shadowing Michelle, p

every time a call dropped or a mistake slipped through, I wondered if they saw it too that I didn't belo

e Damian Valdez. I dropped a folder of confidential papers in the hallway. I blanked on the name of

orst

paring myself

r designer heels. The qui

history

t I hadn't signed and

as a ball of frayed nerves

me too quickly, and

rushing out the loose waves in my hair and staring into the m

re wasn

anted to s

o makeup today I didn't have the energy for mascara, let alone trying to match the elegance I'd s

as already b

ifferent time zones, angry messages from a manufacturing partner in Taiwan, and at leas

heduled one meeting, and triple-checked the

illed coffee

ain with paper towels, when the mirror caug

gets bored

eth and stared

for Damian Val

. The security. The chance

I knew I was

n I looked up and saw

mi

oal suit. No tie. Cuffli

at me. Just sai

d. "Mr.

small red pen tucked behind my ear, a

g into my brand

hed. "

but something shi

ffice in twenty m

e walk

y notes, adjusting my blouse, and mentally

have prepared me

ite

g on m

black sat

a price tag that made my stomach turn. Beneath it, matching heels

n

idn't n

's office, I held the box

me clothes

. "You'll wear th

't ask

dn't ha

ot how th

ked at me then

ide me. You walk into rooms before me

s about yo

from his chair. "This

d back,

use

pany. My inner circle.

an object

ly. "But you're no

belong. And maybe you still think that. But you're stan

allo

know me," I

ow en

at?" I c

," he said. "But yo

oat ti

he asked, "Are y

ther. "That's none

is n

I dem

aid plainly. "Especially not when I'

thed. "Damian,

clenched

red a

e stre

Just for a second. Just long

p back. "I'm

r the dress

n't a

of me already

me at my apartme

ked smaller som

he events of the day buzzed in my brain like static. Veronica's war

hell wa

feel like I wa

tarted to d

BANG

upright

was at t

fr

cked at my door

ame th

ian. Open up.