bAnother /bFriday rolled around, and with just a few hours left before the weekend, most of the Grant Group employees bhad /bbstarted /bbto /bbrx/b.

    They worked through their remaining tasks at a leisurely pace while scrolling through their phones and chatting with bnearby /bbcolleagues/b. “Ugh, I missed it again! This stuff sells out way too fast,” one employeeined.

    “Can’t help it. Everyone online is saying Mr. Atkinson created this product line for love. If that’s true, you know the quality has to be bamazing /bNo wonder everyone’s going crazy trying to buy it,” another replied.

    “True. Guess I’ll have to try again next time. But is this skincare set really something Mr. Atkinson made for Ms. Grant?”

    “How would I know? You’d have to ask Sana about that.”

    All the employees turned to look at Sana, who was frowning at her phone with a puzzled expression.

    “Don’t ask me. I couldn’t even get one myself, so how would I know if the backstory is real?” Sana said without looking up from her screen.

    “Wait, you’re trying to buy it too?” they asked in surprise.

    Sana looked confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

    The employees exchanged nces, thinking, ‘You’re so close to Ms. Grant, and Mr. Atkinson is alwaysing to see her. If you wanted someb, /bcouldn’t you just ask him directly?‘

    But when they thought about how Sana didn’t seem to like talking about Brian, they swallowed their words and changed the subject.

    “No, nothing. Maybe next time we can set an rm and try to snag some together?”

    Sana immediately agreed. “Sure! Honestly, Atkinson Group is really something else. Their stuff sells so well, but they never bother to restock properly. They’re totally ying that hunger marketing game.”

    Everyone nodded in agreement with herint.

    “Exactly! Atkinson Group releases way too little stock each time.”

    “I know, right? Everyunch is like a million people fighting for scraps. It’s so hard–I’ve failed three times now. I’m starting to consider other brands. Sana, do you have any rmendations?”

    “Yeah, Sana, your skin looks amazing. What skincare brand do you usually use?”

    “And what about Ms. Grant? Do you know what she uses? Seriously, in all these years, I’ve never seen anyone with better skin than Ms. Grant.”

    “Right! I’ve been wanting to ask forever. Ms. Grant’s skin is absolutely wless. What skincare does she use, Sana? Come on, tell us. Even bif /bbwe /bprobably can’t afford it, at least give us something to dream about.”

    “Please, Sana, just tell us!”

    Before Sana knew it, she found herselfpletely surrounded by her female colleagues. She wasn’t entirely sure how the bconversation /bbhad /btaken this turn, but she didn’t mind answering their questions.

    “bWhat /bbdo /byou think? It’s obviously that brand everyone’s been btrying /bto get their hands onb,/bb” /bSana said bwith /bbexasperation/b.

    Everyone froze for a moment, then their faces lit up with that bssic /b“bI /btotally bship /bbthis/bb” /bbexpression/b.

    bi1/2 /i/b

    bChapter /bb429 /b

    b“/bbWow/bb, /bbso /bbshe /bbuses /bbAtkinson /bbGroup products /bbtool /bThe inte was right–that new skincare bline /bwas bdefinitely /bbdesigned /bbspecifically /bfor bMs. /bbGrant/bb./bb” /b

    b“/bbThis /bis bso /bsweet! Mr. Atkinson is totally whipped.”

    “Which collection is it exactly?”

    “Yeah. Sana, you have to give us all the details. I want to use the same skincare products as my favorite couple.”

    Sana’s face went dark when she heard this. ‘What do you mean “couple’s skincare“? Don’t talk like Jessica and that jerk Brian bare /bbback /btogether or something!‘ she thought.

    “There’s nothing to rmend. You can’t even buy it anyway, and I’m telling you all to stop shipping them. When the truthes bout/bb, /byou’re going to be heartbroken,” Sana said, then turned and walked away.

    She couldn’t keep talking about this. She was afraid she’d lose control and blurt out that Jessica and Brian had been divorced for ages.

    AD