BEYOND THE FACADE.

PTE

as alrea

t, but by forc

chill still lingering in her bones, she wasn't

kirt, her heels giving her the illusion of power. Her hai

usual coffee order from the café on 5th: black.

she stepped

ging. Keyboards tapping. Shoes echoing across marble

e rhythm. Quick,

desk, Dana ba

ting," she said,

urse

nt of her skirt and mad

glance up whe

ng windows, the entire city beneath him. Every p

ile, fingers drumming again

te," he sa

linke

lifted. J

ure. Enough t

pproached, placing the c

ook

tely spit i

liquid hitting polishe

he cup down like it had

e hell i

it from the usual café-

g his arms slowly. "So

m just

k what you w

teel. Each word poli

e reached for a thick file on t

. Rea

ated. Then p

ed across th

the s

n she s

ught. Hea

bil

d. "This... this

," Hay

pany's entire liquidity. I

wi

f it d

his eyes dark

ink panick

"I just think we

s. Guidelines.

terrupted. Th

ia," she s

ed, ignoring h

l. You're here to prep the papers and

the folder

laws," sh

d. Slowly.

Stopped just short o

yer, Olivia. You'

cold and

orget yo

ed with men in tailored suits,

No warm-ups. N

sil

the contr

sig

Without hesitatio

ffly beside him,

ion. Just

es, trying to rea

already loo

used to this,"

omach

derstood just how far out

g, there was no

inst his desk, arms f

," he

hed. "It'

e in every meeting. Ev

und like a punishme

went dry

job is to make sure I never walk into a room u

htened. "U

then waved her o

elevator butto

ors opened, h

from t

in black. Ca

t beneath the col

on slamme

th opening before

called, v

s-dark and quick-flicked to

ed in fro

w you. From

d. Barel

yo

arms. "Yeah. Yo

on didn't sh

t? Just..

int glance. "Wha

de, exactly-but he wasn't curious

u work

ed aroun

that, he chec

gott

her like nothi

questions swarming. Bu

t

r-this wasn't the las

time she'd