His Secret, Her Salvation

the Grand Orion Hotel blocked my pat

ation,

ed me in a single glance. My simple black suit wasn't designer, and my

The name is Liam O'Connell. It

ost deliberately, making me wait under the bright lights of the hotel entrance. A

ged. "No O'Connell on the list. I'm going

g else, a familiar, gratin

hat the cat dragged

ce. He was a man who looked like he was permanently sucking on a lemon. Nex

Brendan continued, stepping closer. "This is the annual gala for

. "Yeah, man. Did you get lost on your way to a soup k

keting position a month ago. No reason, no warning. Just a cold, "pack your things, we're letting you go." I knew the real reason, of course. He

Kevin. They were preening in their ill-fitting, ren

told myself. Obs

evin were putting on a master class in pettiness. They thought I was here to beg for my job back, to make a scene. They couldn't be more wrong.

the gala," I

t even get past the front door. Look, kid, do yourse

den invitation card. "We're with Sterling C

nodded, his demeanor changing instantl

mph, and then he and Kevin walked through the grand

o had shown a little bit of interest in me when I first joined the company. We'd had coffee a couple of times. But the

ow with a mixture

t even trying to hide her surprise. "Are you t

, Chloe," I said

slowly. "Just go home, L

another word, her heels c

skin. They all saw the same thing: a jobless loser, a charity case. Th

need you to leave," the gua

curb. The back door opened and an older man in a perfectly tailored suit stepped

is face broke i

ondering when

n the shoulder, completely igno

ble?" he asked, h

x-up with the gu

d cold. "This is Liam O'Connell. His father owns this company. And this hotel. I s

ith his tablet, his hands shaking. "My apologies,

y. "He's with me." He gestured for me to follo

walked into the grand ballroom, a wave of music and chatter washed over us. The room was dr

small circle, laughing. Then Kevin saw me. His smile froze, and he nudged Bren

ecutive who barely gave them the time of day. The confusion on

marched over, his

demanded, pointing a finger at me. "He's not

, his height giving him a clear adva

. Riley?" he asked, his

son, but his arrogance won out. "Yes! This man,

lay out. I wanted to see how deep a

he raised platform at the far end of the r

shouted, his voice cracking. "That's the

p it. You're going to get arrest

so easily, and now she was pretending to

ing them standing there, bewildered and furious. They thought th

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