ed was always a drag. I sat there, feigning interest as sen

lleague, a junior architect

brutal, huh?" he sai

committal nod. "The

back to my cubicle. "I was thinking

to do," I said, trying

as I tried to focus on my screen. His

entrance to my cubicle block. They weren' t

ffice. "We need to talk." She pointed a finger at me. "I want everyone to know

s almost laughable, but the venom

y. "Chloe, this is a professional

u' ll have your rich husband su

you can' t talk to her like th

k, before turning her attention back to me.

strange sense of pity. I had no interest in her games. I sat b

angrier. She stormed off, drag

han asked, his face

"People like that feed on drama. The

st everything, I learned to build walls, to b

rch. Ethan, to his credit, kept a respectful distance, tho

a bubbly woman from the marketing depart

for drinks. You have to come

iendly persistence was hard to

w colleagues were

mysterious. What' s yo

soda. "Not much of a st

gasp went aro

o who? Do we

Sterling," I said, k

ey were all New Yorker

the Julian Sterling

ir curiosity was insatiable. I couldn' t answer their questions about

I declined. "I like taking the

ment that ended with me reluct

e address of Julian' s

aring up at the sleek, modern buil

my lifestyle and my habi

," I explained vaguely. "

rah said, her voice full of awe. "They own half

and silent. I assumed Julian wasn' t home. I switche

ar pulling up, the cheerful voices of my colleagues, had grated on his nerves. He was annoyed that I was home, annoyed that I was brin