Arba’s POV

That night, we stayed bat /bthe castle–like hotel. For the first time in my life, I spent the night in a presidential suite. My room was right next to Grayson’s.

And yet… even in that huge, soft, luxurious bed, I still couldn’t sleep. My mind just wouldn’t bshut /boff.

Jace’s threats were still echoing in my bears/b. And knowing him, he was definitely the kind of guy who’d do banything /bbto /bget standing in his way, Leould only pray I’d bnever /bhave to cross paths with him again–band /bstay as far away as possible.

I didn’t fall asleep until deep into the night. bAnd /bwhen my phone rang the next morning. I was still half–asleep.

Yawning, I grabbed my phone. It was an email From Apex Headquarters.

I stared at the screen for 3 seconds… and then let out ba /bscream.

rid of someone

The next second, I jumped out of bed, bolted bout /bof my room, and ran straight down the bhall /bto Grayson’s door. I jammed the doorbell with my thumb like a maniac

The door opened almost immediately. He was already dressed, looking calm and put–together. “What’s wrong-?”

“I GOT PROMOTED TO MARKETING MANAGER!” I screamed, waving my phone in his face.

He blinked in surprise, then smiled. “Congrattions.”

“Oh my god. My god! Do you know what this means? Most people bwork /btheir whole careers at Apex and never evene close to this. title. I can’t believe I got it bin /bjust bfour /byears!”

“You’ve worked harder than most people. You deserve this, bAria/b”

1 sucked in a breath, trying to calm my racing heart. My checks were burning as I looked up at him.

“And… thank byou/bb. /bI know you had a big part in this

He raised an eyebrow. “What do you bmean/b?”

“Well, I know without you, someone with my experience would never be considered. This promotion is your way of making it up to me

-for bwhat /bI lost because of Delh and Jace.”

“No. You’ve got it all bwrong/b” His voice was steady. “All I did was submit your name to HR as a candidate. The final decision Wis entirely by them band /bthe marketing VP. They chose you because they were impressed–by you.”

1 froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

Wait really!

bmade /b

I thought the rumors Jace’spread about me hadpletely ruined my career. bBut /bit turns out, not only did I not lose anything because of Jace–bhis /bsabotage backfired and ended up pushing me even higher. Now I was his superior. Talk about karma.

“Wow. I can’t believe this,” I murmured.

“I always believed byou /bcould do it,” Grayson said softly, bhis /bgrey eyes sparkling. “But don’t get toofortable. Your first six months as ba /bmanager are a bprobationary /bperiod. You’ll need to prove your worth with real numbers if you bwant /bto keep the title.”

I nodded hard. “I will I promise.”

He checked his watch. “I’ve got to head to the summit now. The car’s waiting downstairsb./bb” /b

I stepped aside quickly. “Right, sorry! Don’t let me keep you

“No I mean we should find time to properly celebrateter.” He bgave /bme a smile bthat /bmade my heart bskip /ba beat. “How about dinner at 82 I’ll bhave /bmy bassistant /bsend byou /bthe blocation/b.”

9:48 AM ?

I almost melted under that smile. “Y–yeah.. I’d love that.”

“Then I’ll see you tonightb, /bAria.”

As soon as he shut the door, I ran back to my room, jumped onto the bed, and screamed into bmy /bpillow like a lunatic.

Work, the contract, my rtionship with him–everything was moving bso /bgreat! He hadn’t said a word about “keeping our distance” again. Maybe that meant he changed his bmind/b… maybe it meant I bcould /bstill stay by his side.

It was only morning, but the day already felt magical.

After rolling around in bed and grinning like an idiot for a while, I finally pulled myself together and got dressed.

I decided to keep this good energy going. Use the luck while itsted.

I decided to visit a client,

And I moved fast. Half an hourter, I was already in a cab bheading /btoward a private estate in the northern area of Silver Creek Pack.

On the bway/b, I skimmed through the client profile bagain/b.

The client’sst name was Elrod. Incredibly wealthy family. Landing them would be a massive win. But they were known for being arrogant and picky–Apex had sent dozens of people to negotiate, and none had seeded.

Creek

But since I was balready /bin Silver Creek, it felt wrong not to give it a shot. Even if my chances were also slim.

The cab dropped me off at the giant iron gate. I walked the blong /broad to the estate under the zing sun, sweating like crazy, and it took nearly 30 minutes just to reach the house.

The butler bwith /ban iron face received me. After exining why I was here, he made me bwait /banother hour before finally saying the master would meet me by the pool.

Weird ce for a business meeting. But I wasn’t going toin. At least I got to meet this mysterious master.

A man was swimmingps when I got there. A line of omega bstaff /bbstood /bnearby holding towels and drinks.

I stood there politely, waiting. I figured he’d get out soon. But when he got close, he suddenly did a turn and kept swimming blike /bI didn’t even exist. I bmean/b, bseriously/b?

Another 20 minutes passed. I started to lose my patience.

Suddenly

SLPASH!

Soineone dumped ba /bhuge chunk of water right on me.

b“/bAhhh!” I screamed, soaked and stunned.

What The Actual. Hell!

I wiped water off my bface /band heard loudughter. The swimmer had floated over to bthe /bedge and bwas /bnowughing so hard he was practically choking.

My face turned red with embarrassment and anger. “Mr. Elrod, what bwas /bthat supposed bto /bmean-

Suddenly I stopped.

I recognized that face!

It bwas /bbhim/b. The red–haired, blue–eyed guy from the ballst night–the bone /bwho asked me to dance band /bgot refused.

“Recognize me now?” he grinned, shing perfect teeth. “You looked hot and miserable. Thought I’d help you bcool /boff.”

“Wait… it’s you? Mr. Elrod?” I was so stunned that I forgot all about my anger. “Oh my god, if I’d known bwho /byou werest night-

“You’d have danced with me?” he snorted, climbing out of the pool.

Water rolled down his perfect bchest /band abs. He looked like a swimsuit model. Then bI /bnoticed that his swim btrunks /bwere way too tight. I bquickly /baverted my gaze, face burning

“So, I heard you’re here to pitch me something?” he asked.

“Ummm, yes. I’m Aria Collins from Apex’s marketing department. If you have a moment, I’d love to talk about ba /bnatural gas development

“psodood

He casually toweled off, took an iced tea from an omega, and flopped into a lounge chair.

“Sure, I’m all cars.” He raised an eyebrow at me.

I stared at him. He bwanted /bme to pitch here? By the pool? While he bwas /bpratically half–naked?

“Ares

you gonna talk or what? I don’t have all day,” he clicked his tongue.

“K–right. Of course I forced a smile.

Noptop. No projector. I handed him printed slides and he didn’t even reach for them. So I could only talk. Thankfully I had the whole thing memorized.

bBut /bafter 20 minutes of presenting, bI /bnoticed he bhad /bshut his eyes.

“Mr. Elrod, are byou /beven listening?”

He yawned. “Godb, /byou’re still going? You really like to hear yourself talk, bhuh/bb?/b”

1 bit back my growing irritation. “Do you have any questions about what I’ve said so far?”

He suddenly turned to face me. “Actually, I do”

“Please go ahead”

“I heard you’d let апуопе fuck byou /bto close ba /bdeal. That true?”

I jumped up, the papers in myp scattering everywhere.

“Excuse me?!” I snapped.

He smirked. b“/bAlso heard you lost a multi–million–dor contract band /bbhad /bto sleep around to make up for it. That also true?”

“That’splete bullshit. Where the hell did you-”

“I told him.“A new

ew voice answered.

Ispun

Jare

around bas /bba /bbman /bwalked in.

He stepped out from, smirking band /bstrode over to hug the master here.

“bZane /bElrod, look bat /byou! Haven’t changed a bit.”

“Hey manb! /bI missed you.”

I stood there, eyes wide.

You’ve GOT to be kidding me.