forced her brain into work mode, blocking out the whispers of her colleagues. A voice from the cubicle behind her mut

signed specific tasks to the junior staff. One of the analysts, Gary, leaned over. "Chloe, you sure you want

lly questions about font sizes and spreadsheet formatting. "Chloe, what's the difference between Arial and Calibri?" Poppy as

mediately followed up each verbal answer with a recorded email response, creating a paper trail. After the fifth interr

ud spreadsheet. She approached Chloe's desk looking panicked, her hands fluttering near her co

tored the deleted data in three seconds. She told Poppy, in a deadpan voice, to be

r voice hitching loudly as if Chloe had just screamed at he

He strode over to the cubicle immediately, his face like a thundercloud. "What's going on he

had just graciously saved her job. "She saved your position, and this is how you treat her?" Julian's voice was

rly futile. She simply nodded and replied, "Understood, sir." Julian stared at her for a mom

announced a mandatory joint-company dinner at an upscale steakhouse that evening to build "synergy." A collective groan went t

ck corporate blazer, feeling entirely out of place among the designer dresses. The hostes

ong, polished oak table dominated the space. "Nice place," Ethan said, falling into st

loe was seated directly across the table from Julian and Poppy. "Of course I a

. He offered her a subtle, supportive smile as he sat

cuts of wagyu beef for Poppy without even glancing at a menu. "Darling, you spo

p his knife and began cutting Poppy's steak into small, bite-sized pieces for her. It was a gestur

weekend. "Any fun plans?" the woman asked, trying

how some women were only driven by greed, constantly looking for the next payout. "Some peop

king of silverware stopped. Ethan's hand tighten

. She took a slow, deliberate sip of ice water. She used the freezing liq

ed completely oblivious-or pretended to be-to the vicious insult dire

inner roll from the basket and placed it gently on Chloe's

teak pun to break the suffocating tension. "Why did the steak break up with the pot

The sound was quiet, but it carried in the silent room.

nched so hard the muscle ticked visibly under his ski

ensive wine and ordered a bottle of neat whiskey for hi

and engaged in a quiet conversation about a new movie release. "Have you seen it yet?" she asked. E

rned visibly darker, the air around him growing volatile and dangero

on her tongue. She kept her eyes on her plate as she watched Julian, in her peripheral vision, gently wipe a smudge of peppercorn sauce from