LOGINLucas’s POV
“Give me that again, and speak clearly this time,” Rigoberto said, his voice dropping an octave as he stared at the speakerphone.
The voice on the other end crackled with nerves. “The legal department at the firm just sent over a formal notice. They are halting all transfers. They mentioned a specific clause about the brand’s image being at risk. They want a full review of our partnership.”
“What risk?” Antonia s
Salome’s POV“I promise I will never cause you unnecessary stress again,” Jeremiah said.His voice sounded rough and low in the quiet office. He stood close enough that I could feel the heat coming off his body.“I know your life is hard enough without me making it worse,” he continued.He swallowed hard. I watched the movement of his throat. It was such a small, human thing, but I couldn’t look away. I felt a strange pulse of energy between us.“I don’t want to be the reason you worry, Salome. I want to bring you peace.”I let out a soft breath I didn’t know I was holding. My legs felt weak, like they might give out if I moved too fast. My skin prickled with a sudden chill. This didn’t sound like a boss talking to an assistant. It sounded like a confession, or maybe a warning.Jeremiah exhaled slowly and looked up at the ceiling. He broke the eye contact that had been
Salome’s POV“Eat your rice, Salome, you look pale,” my mother said, her voice cutting through the quiet hum of the dining room.I looked down at the bowl. The steam rising from the white grains made my throat tighten. Every bite I had forced down felt like a lead weight in my gut. I wasn't hungry. I was exhausted, and the pressure of pretending everything was fine felt like a physical sickness. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be the daughter who just nodded and smiled while my insides churned.I set my chopsticks down against the ceramic edge with a sharp click. The sound was louder than I intended, but I didn't care. I pushed the bowl away, the wood of the table scraping under the pressure.“I am finished,” I said. My voice was flat, lacking the polite warmth they expected. “I have work to finish back at the office.”I didn't wait for a reply. I stood up and walked out, my hand instinctively pr
Salome’s POV“Why do you think that’s interesting?” I asked.I kept my voice flat and raised one eyebrow. Naomi didn’t answer right away. She just smirked at me and tightened her grip on her coffee cup. She stepped around me and headed for the door without a second glance.“No reason,” she said.She walked out of the break room and left me standing there alone. The air still smelled like her strawberry perfume. It was sweet and heavy and made my head ache. I stared at the empty doorway and wondered what she was hiding. She always seemed to know something I didn't.I didn't have much time to think about it. The day went by in a blur of filing and emails. Just as the sun started to dip behind the city buildings, Jeremiah called Benedict and me into his office. My stomach did a
Salome’s POV“Is that the new girl? The one who wears those tiny skirts just to get his attention?”I froze in the hallway, my fingers digging into the stack of reports I was carrying. The break room door was cracked just enough for the sharp, biting tone of the voices inside to carry clearly into the corridor.“I heard they’re already sleeping in the same bed,” another voice chimed in, followed by a cruel, rhythmic clicking of a pen. “Most of her job description involves being on her back. You don’t get an assistant role like that without some... extra effort.”A wave of heat crashed over my face. It wasn’t just embarrassment; it was a physical sting, like a slap. I leaned closer to the wall, my heart hammering against my ribs.“What’s her name again? Is it Ophelia?”“Something like that. Does it even matter? She’s just the flavor of the month.”
Salome’s POV“You didn’t even ask who I was,” I muttered, staring at the darkened screen of my phone.Margot Richardson hadn't bothered with introductions. She didn't need to. Her reputation for being a shark preceded her, and right now, she only had one target in her sights: Portia. Once Margot locked onto a goal, she didn't stop until she crushed it. That singular focus was exactly why I needed her. If anyone could track down where Portia and her family had hidden Russell Lewis’s remains, it was a woman who viewed obstacles as personal insults.I slid my phone into my bag and smoothed out my skirt. I couldn't afford to be late, especially with the energy in the office lately.The morning was a blur of rapid-fire emails and logistics. By the time the clock hit ten, I headed toward Benedict’s desk with my tablet tucked under my arm to finalize Jeremiah’s schedule for the following week.“Benedict, I w
Salome’s POV“You need to find the phone number on that package right now,” Margot said, her voice sharp enough to cut.She didn’t look at the mess of papers on the floor. She just stared at the wall while Mary, her longest-serving maid, knelt to gather the scattered documents. Margot’s fingers stayed curled into tight fists at her sides. Every second Portia Vane spent near her son was a second the Richardson legacy moved closer to a cliff. Portia was a loose cannon, a girl who didn't care about rules or reputations. Margot had spent decades building this name, protecting it like a fortress, and she wasn't about to let some unstable girl burn it down.“I have it, Ma’am,” Mary whispered, holding a small scrap of paper.“Good. Give it to me and leave the room.”Margot took the paper. She needed to know who sent this. She needed an ally. If someone else wanted Portia gone, she was more than h
Barnabas’s POV“You need to stop right there,” I said, my voice sharp enough to cut through the heavy air of the dining room.Portia didn’t listen. She kept lunging toward me with a look of frantic desperation, her face flushed and her eyes darting around lik
Barnabas’s POV"Where the hell are you?" Gideon’s voice blasted through the phone, sounding more like a serrated blade than a friend.I groaned and squinted against the harsh morning light hitting the hotel carpet. My head felt like it had been cracked open and stuffed w
Salome’s POV"Alpha Jeremiah, you really are something else," Clementine said, flashing him a bright, appreciative grin. "Every woman out there is looking for a partner with half your heart."Jeremiah didn't return the smile. He barely even looked at her. "Do
Salome’s POV“Is this for me, or are you just trying to look like a generous person?” Jeremiah asked, a small smile playing on his lips.I felt my face heat up instantly. “No, I really did get it for you. I figured you hadn't eaten yet today, and I didn't wan







