ay until they reached the sleek black Maybach

rear door. He pulled it open, keeping his

er and subtle cologne. She felt entirely out of place in the luxurious cab

olid, expensive thud, instantly cutting off the noise of th

d smoothly in

ing heart. She turned to Caspian. "Thank you. For

egan to pull the massive diamond ring off her fi

. "I can't accept this. Even for a contract facade,

ained totally flat, unreadable. He reached out

ecessary for the facade of our ma

w a real diamond when I see one. The way it catches the light... this

cing chuckle. He shook his head slightly

crisis. The restaurant's parent company is actually an angel investor in my startup, and I hold a very minor percentage of phantom equity. The general manager recognized me from a board meeting and

ring, then back at him. "Then how

strictly to keep up appearances during funding rounds-one I can barely afford to fuel. And the ri

hit the facets. Because she was an actress, used to seeing high-quality costume jewelry des

ief. The tension melted from her shoulders.

naire. He was a struggling outsider, fighting for survival in a wealthy family,

where the ice water had hit him. A pang of gui

diner on the corner. "Pull over here. Let me buy you a burg

es. He caught Caspian's eye in the rearview mirror for a fraction of a second, his expression a mask of perfect, professional neutrality that

rearview mirror. Arthur imperceptibly nodded,

His harsh features softened

illed parking lot of the diner, looking enti

he bell above the door jingled. They sat down

tted animatedly, her guard completely lowered. She complained about

retension, and the way she ate without caring about appearances st

ang loudly, shattering th

her younger sister, Chloe. Clara wipe

hloe, w

smile vanished from