Miles’s eyes flew open.
The room was pitch-black. The only sound was his own heavy breathing.
The heat still burning through his body reminded him just how absurdly real that dream had felt.
Miles sat up and rubbed his forehead, his thoughts a mess.
’I really need to stay away from that lying woman.’
He got up and took a cold shower. The icy water helped clear his head, but it still took him half the night to settle down.
For once, he couldn’t sleep.
***
The next morning, Miles woke up late. He pressed his fingers to his brow and walked out of the bedroom.
The living room was empty, but the smell of food drifted from the kitchen.
A plate of scrambled eggs and toast sat on the dining table, with a sticky note tucked underneath.
[Dr. Warren, thank you for letting me stay last night. Sorry I used your kitchen without asking. I made you breakfast. I took the shirt with me and I’ll return it after I wash it.]
She had drawn a little smiley face at the end.
Miles ran his thumb over her handwriting.
He should have done what he’d done last time: thrown the note away, dumped the breakfast, and put his life back into the neat, orderly shape he preferred.
Instead, after several seconds, he folded the note, slipped it into a drawer, pulled out a chair, and picked up a fork.
The eggs were still warm, and butter had melted into the toast.
The ingredients were simple, but Claire had made them taste ridiculously good.
Miles ate quietly until the plate was clean.
She really was good with those hands.
Not that it meant anything. He knew all of this was part of her act.
***
At Sinclair Group, the atmosphere in the CEO’s office was tense.
Jacob stared at the empty space on his desk and tapped his fingers against the surface impatiently.
"Where’s breakfast?"
His secretary lowered her head. "Mr. Sinclair, Ms. Kendall hasn’t come in yet. I asked the cafeteria to make something for you."
"Forget it." Jacob’s voice was ice-cold.
Claire usually made his breakfast herself and brought it to the office.
’She isn’t even at work today. Is she really throwing a fit over last night?’
Jacob picked up his phone and called the number he knew by heart.
A recorded voice answered. "The phone you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."
Jacob tightened his grip on the phone, his face dark. ’Claire, you’ve really grown some nerve.’
Claire didn’t arrive at the design department until noon.
Her long hair was loosely pinned up, and she wore a fresh sky-blue dress. There was no sign of how miserable she had looked the night before.
The moment Yvonne saw her, something cold flashed in her eyes. A knowing smile followed.
"Claire, you’re finally here. I was waiting for you. Sinclair Design is expanding and restructuring, and we’re short on staff. Moonstone Studio will suspend independent operations, and the entire team will move into the main design department."
Everyone turned toward Yvonne at once.
Claire’s expression darkened.
"Suspending" Moonstone Studio was no different from swallowing it whole.
She knew exactly what this was. Yvonne was getting even for what happened at the bar.
Claire stepped forward, calm and firm. "Ms. Warren, Moonstone Studio has been profitable since the day it opened. There’s no reason to merge it into the main department. If you’re short on staff, hire more people."
Before Yvonne could answer, Monica gave a mocking laugh from her desk.
"Profitable? Everyone knows those clients only buy from you because of Mr. Sinclair. Your embroidery is old-fashioned, ugly, and way past its prime."
Someone else joined in.
"Come on, Claire. Ms. Warren is trying to help you. Hand embroidery takes forever, it’s expensive, and it can’t keep up with modern production."
Monica snorted. "You should be grateful Ms. Warren is even willing to bring you into the design department. Moonstone Studio should’ve been shut down a long time ago."
"That’s enough." Yvonne raised a hand to quiet everyone, putting on a patient, generous expression. "Claire, if you really don’t want to suspend Moonstone Studio, I’ll give you a chance."
She placed a file on the desk.
The name CRESCENT stood across the front.
A wave of sharp breaths went through the room.
"It’s a luxury couture project. If your design passes their review and the client is happy, Moonstone Studio can stay open."
Yvonne raised an eyebrow. "But if you can’t give Crescent a design they approve within three days, Moonstone Studio shuts down."
Crescent was every designer’s nightmare client. They paid extremely well, but their standards were brutal.
Sinclair Design had already submitted twenty-five versions and gotten every one of them rejected. The contract was close to being canceled automatically.
The cancellation fee wasn’t the real problem. The damage to Sinclair Group’s reputation would be much worse.
Now Yvonne had tossed the impossible job straight into Claire’s lap.
This wasn’t a chance. It was a setup designed to make Claire surrender on her own.
Monica scoffed. "Ms. Warren, isn’t that a little cruel? Moonstone can fool people who don’t know any better, but Crescent? I doubt Claire could even get a first draft approved."
Wendy, who had been standing behind Claire, finally snapped, her face flushing with anger.
"Claire’s embroidery is nationally recognized, and plenty of people love it. Why are you making this impossible for her?"
Monica looked her up and down with open contempt.
"You’re an assistant. Nobody asked you."
She shoved Wendy hard. Wendy stumbled backward and struck her wrist on the corner of a desk. It immediately swelled red.
"Wendy!" Claire rushed over and caught her. The moment she saw the injured wrist, her eyes turned cold.
For Jacob’s sake, she had spent years swallowing one insult after another.
Not anymore. She didn’t owe anyone her silence now.
"Apologize." Claire’s gaze was sharp.
Monica lifted her chin. "Why should I? She ran her mouth. And I barely pushed her. Is she seriously trying to act injured over that? She’s just an assistant, not even a designer. What’s so precious about her hands?"
Wendy sniffled and caught Claire’s arm, shaking her head. "Claire, I’m okay. Don’t fight with her."
Claire took two steps forward. Her voice carried clearly across the room.
"In three days, I’ll submit my proposal directly to Crescent. If they reject it, I’ll leave Moonstone Studio and resign from Sinclair Design."
Her gaze swept across the room before stopping on Monica.
"And I’ll never work as a designer for another company in Aethel again."
The entire department went silent.
’Quit design completely?’
That was a massive bet. She was putting her whole career on the line.
"Absolutely not!"
Before Yvonne could respond, a cold male voice cut through the room.
Jacob stood in the doorway. No one knew how long he had been listening.
"Jacob, you’re here." Yvonne immediately went to him, her voice turning warm and intimate.
But Jacob’s eyes went straight to Claire.
"You work for Sinclair Group. Who gave you the right to gamble with your career like this?"
Yvonne’s smile stiffened. Jacob was clearly trying to protect Claire.
Claire looked up at him, calm and detached.
"Mr. Sinclair, this is my career and my decision. You don’t need to concern yourself with it."
Jacob’s eyes darkened at once.
’Does she want to be Mrs. Sinclair so badly she’d risk her whole career just to marry me?’
She loved him, sure, but he wasn’t going to let her pressure him like this.
His little bird had no business threatening him.