The Billionaire's Janitor

peak. From the forty-seventh floor, Liam Sterling stood behind floor-to-ceiling windows, his reflection cold and immovable against the

Another merger.

dn't

g?" a voice

slightly. "What

tie before speaking. "The board is requesting confirmation on your

ed brow, he said, "Tell them to redirect their eagerness toward quarterly profit

dded, retreating like a

ng through waterlogged streets, umbrellas blooming like bruised

any of those

ve was a lie sold

didn't

building itself, Evelyn Sterling stirred a teaspoon of honey into her tea. Her hand trem

ress. All lies. Crafted, no doubt, by that manipulative little peacock, Vanessa

k past a pregnant intern crying

cept

do something, Sterling Enterprises would become the empire

in clicked against the saucer lik

enough," sh

short. The fabric itched like regret. The shoes squeaked on the

ecognizing herself. Gone was the regal heiress of Sterling. In her place s

as a

lutely n

filtered HR reports or polished board meetings. She needed to

. Ground floor. Her

the mop li

. Then rained on. Then packed. She'd run five blocks in heels that were already f

y through the employee entrance of Sterling Enterprise

se it

h was failing. For her little brother, whose tuition depended on it. For the v

he lobby and

stare sharp as diamonds-was struggling to

ink, she rushed forwa

ooked up, start

eavy. And your back's

the old woman's throa

latter m

grinned. "I'm b

acticed grip and gave the woman a kin

d. "Eve," she said.

ed and disappeared into the elevator. Eve

Unforced

contender

like it was holy wine. She leaned against t

"Why do they keep hiring

r a forced smile. "She's

. I saw the shoes. Charity cas

d the janitor mopping

hould be in a retirement home.

r hand paused mid-sweep

t

tch. She wou

n who mistreated

white in her gr

e they were puzzles to be conquered.

Gerald handed

xceptional. Finance department

people to like

t your grandm

head sn

ha

ething cryptic. Mentioned you wouldn't recognize

his eyes. "G

elp a young intern carry a stack of documents ne

goo

s eyes

d foun

make sure her gran

escent lights hummed above sleek desks arranged like puzzle pieces in a maze. Some workers looked up when

icular. And received nothing

nd heels high enough to insult gra

ne

he asked, tilting her head lik

she said pol

Vanessa Cole. Assistant Director of Accounts. Don't worry, you'll find

Amara said, her tone

er again, calculating. "Where

did

s smile

e on a full scholarship. G

n-distaste, maybe even fear-but it vanished behind anothe

ideways-just in time to see Eve, the janitor, watching quiet

istening as two department heads argued over forecasting models. He didn't interrupt.

ald enter

aching with a whisper, "your g

brow tw

I'm in a

sn't answer, I'll stage a protest in th

room fell into an

alke

he hung up her disposable phone and returned

onger she stirred, t

seat across from another employee who 'ac

said flatly, not

Amara said softly, r

to stop her

up. She did it without rolling her

ropped his phone behind a cabin

the room-and still

e Evelyn

fternoon-flashing her badge, flicking her hair, and riding up to the top floor like an entitle

inner once at t

ent like it was a dia

arely remembered

private office without kn

aga

"You used to b

o be more

g his sigh. "Have you seen the new girl? The one from th

looked up. "W

She's already chatting up Gerald. Wouldn't want some

efully. "You mean

ile slipped

ome in through the front door. Others sneak in throu

He just turned ba

something was slipping.

mara sat alone, flipping through a training packet, when she

Eve-the janitor.

coffee earlier," Eve said,

d. "You didn

I want

singly nimble for her age.

er head. "How

rence between someone who's nice to clim

st... I've seen too much cruelty

smiled.

pa

eliberate. "One day, someone very important might walk into your life.

ed. "Do I..

d. "Not yet. B

eft with her mop buc

he dim city street, her bag heavy with paper

dles reflected neon signs and

op, a black car slowed beside h

s Wy

sharply. It

e car. "Mr. Sterlin

eath c

e open door. Toward t

lowly, she

smelled like leather,

ind her like the lock on a vault. The tinted windows turned the world outside in

r, Liam Sterli

n't lo

is clothes respected him enough to keep their distance. A tablet glowed in h

the habit of inviting entry-level analysts into

owed. "Of

measured like it had been drafted by lawyers. "And in that time, two

oat tig

says you're manipulative, oppor

arted, but she

hand, says you're hu

lly loo

is ey

cise. Like they could dissec

is right?

ing behind her ears. "I don't think eithe

ent?-crossed his face. But

sting a

you want to know who I am, sir,

of si

tablet once, and th

fter under his voice now-like a blade sheathed, but still there. "But be

be invisible. I just don't wan

rrowed slightl

ght, Mis

lowed to

oor o

breathless, and uncertain of whether she'd just

Liam remained s

oftly:

s,

d anyone connected

ld n

, icy streaks. Something about her-something he couldn't pla

ith books and lace curtains, Evelyn Sterling hu

verything from

stood tall, even inside t

ntly-she saw Lia

a fli

was e

herself as she picked up

't know

tined to fall for had j

hoes and a spin