Chapter 8

I stood in front of Sterling Global Holdings' headquarters, clutching the folder like it might explode.

The building rose up from Boston's Financial District like a glass-and-steel monolith. Fifty floors of power and money. The kind of place where people like me came to deliver things and left as quickly as possible.

Just get in, drop off the folder, get out.

I pushed through the revolving door into the lobby.

The woman behind the desk looked up. "Can I help you?"

"I'm from Garrison Industries," I said. "I'm here to deliver documents to Mr. Sterling's office."

"One moment." She picked up the phone.

I waited, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

A man appeared a few minutes later.

I recognized him. He'd been at the gala. Standing next to Adam.

"Ms. Bennett?" His voice was polite but clipped. "I'm James Cooper, Mr. Sterling's executive assistant. Mr. Sterling is in a meeting, but I'll take you up to his office. You can wait there."

Wait?

"Can I just leave these with you?" I asked. "I really need to get back."

James shook his head. "I'm afraid you'll need to hand them to Mr. Sterling directly. This way, please."

I followed James to the elevators.

The doors opened on the top floor.

James led me down a hallway lined with modern art and floor-to-ceiling windows. At the end of the hall was a massive door.

He opened it. "Mr. Sterling's office. He should be finished with his meeting shortly."

I stepped inside.

James closed the door behind me.

I sat down on the edge of the couch, set the folder on the coffee table, and folded my hands in my lap like a schoolgirl waiting outside the principal's office.

Just wait. He'll walk in, you'll hand him the folder, and you'll leave.

Easy.

Ten minutes passed.

Then twenty.

I checked my phone. No messages from Julian. No missed calls.

Where the hell is he?

I stood up and walked to the window. The harbor stretched out below, dotted with sailboats, the summer sun glinting off the water. From up here, everything looked clean and organized.

Down there, life was all missed trains and overdue bills and impossible daycare pickups.

I heard the door open behind me.

I turned.

Adam walked in.

Tailored suit. Sharp jawline. Gray-green eyes that could cut through steel.

He closed the door. The click echoed in the silence.

"Mr. Sterling," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I'm here to deliver the revised proposal from Garrison Industries."

Adam's eyes flicked to the folder on the coffee table. Then back to me.

He didn't say anything.

He just walked toward me. Slowly.

I stepped back instinctively, but the window was right behind me. Nowhere to go.

He stopped a few feet away.

"You can leave it on my desk," he said.

His voice was cold. Detached.

I nodded and moved toward the desk. I set the folder down carefully, like it might shatter.

"Is that all?" I asked.

"No."

I froze.

Adam crossed his arms. "Explain the proposal to me."

"I—what?"

"Explain it," he repeated. "Walk me through it."

I stared at him. "With all due respect, Mr. Sterling, I'm sure you're more than capable of reading it yourself."

His eyes narrowed. "Is that your professional opinion, Ms. Bennett?"

My jaw tightened. "I'm just an assistant. I'm not the one who worked on the proposal. If you have questions, I can arrange for someone from the team to come and—"

"No," he interrupted. "I want you to explain it."

What the hell is his problem?

I picked up the folder and opened it. My hands were shaking slightly, but I forced them to stay steady.

"This is the revised proposal for the Sterling Horizon Tech Park project in Austin," I began. "Garrison Industries is proposing to supply laser radar components and chip packaging for the autonomous vehicle supply chain."

I turned to the next page. "The timeline is projected to be—"

"Keep reading," Adam said.

I glanced up. He was sitting in his desk chair now, leaning back. His fingers drummed on the armrest.

He's not even listening.

I kept reading. Page after page. My voice flat and monotone.

"The cost breakdown is outlined in Section Four. Garrison Industries estimates a total investment of—"

"Stop."

I looked up.

Adam was staring at me. His jaw was tight. His hand gripped the armrest.

"Get out," he said.

"What?"

"Get. Out."

I grabbed my bag and walked toward the door as fast as I could without running.

My hand was on the doorknob when he spoke again.

"Maya."

I turned around slowly.

He was standing now. Right behind me. Close enough that I could smell his cologne.

"Julian Garrison," he said. His voice was low. Dangerous. "Is he the rich guy you were looking for?"

My heart stopped.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb," Adam said. "You said you wanted someone with money. Someone who could give you the life you deserved. Is Julian that guy?"

I felt like I'd been slapped.

"You don't know what you're talking about," I said.

"Don't I?" He leaned in closer. "Julian's rich. He's got connections. He's desperate to prove himself to his family. Perfect target, right?"

My chest tightened. "You're out of line."

"Am I?" His lips curled into a cold smile. "Let me save you some time. Julian's a bastard. Literally. He might have money, but he'll never marry you. He'll marry someone who can help him secure his place in the family. Someone who fits. Someone who's not—" He paused. "—you."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I'd never known Adam could be this cruel. Back in Cleveland, all I'd heard from him were sweet words. I never knew his mouth could cut like this.

I stepped back. "Why are you telling me all this?"

I didn't even want to marry Julian. I'd never thought about it. But hearing Adam say these things—it hurt. It really fucking hurt.

"You're going in circles just to warn me not to chase after you, aren't you?" My voice was steady now. Cold. "Don't worry, Adam. I won't. I wouldn't dare. I can't reach that high anyway." I swallowed. "Just like you said—five years ago was just a little episode. It's over. It's in the past."

Adam's jaw tightened. His eyes darkened.

"Good," he said. "That's for the best."

I turned toward the door.

"Is there anything else, Mr. Sterling?" I asked without looking back.

Silence.

"No."

I walked out.