My heart is pounding.
Then—
Knock knock.
We both freeze.
A voice comes through the door. “Mr. Blackthorne? It’s James.”
Lucien glances at the door, then back at me. “I can send him away,” he says quietly. “Just tell me.”
For a moment I hesitate. Part of me wants him to but another part knows how this looks. “No,” I whisper. “Let him in. I..I don’t want to create more suspicion.”
Lucien studies my face for a second, then straightens slightly. “Come in.”
The door opens and James steps inside. He immediately pauses when he sees us standing there. “Oh—uh—Andrew said we’re switching for today,” James says awkwardly. “I just wanted to give a proper handoffand make sure you knew Era would be taking over my spot and I’d be—” He trails off, clearly sensing something is going on in the room.
Lucien speaks calmly. “That’s not correct.”
James blinks. “It’s not? Era and I aren’t switching?”
“Oh, that part’s correct,” Lucien says evenly. “You and Era are switching.” He leans casually against the desk. “Just not temporarily.”
James looks between the two of us, confusion written all over his face. “Uh… sure.” James says.
I bite my lip. “James,” I say quickly, stumbling slightly over the words, “I’ll come by your office and we can do the handoff.”
He nods gratefully. “Yeah. That sounds good.”
We walk back out into the hallway together and as we move down the corridor, I feel it. Lucien’s gaze on my back. I glance over my shoulder. He’s still standing in his doorway, watching me walk away. And just before I turn the corner, he winks and disappears in the room.
I try not to think about what just happened in Lucien’s office but fail. My heart keeps fluttering like it’s trying to escape my chest entirely.
Focus, Sera. You need this job.
James and I spend most of the afternoon handing off our work. He walks me through the reports, the forecasting spreadsheets, the presentation drafts. Andrew wasn’t exaggerating. James actually does the project projections better than I do. Faster, cleaner. Which somehow makes the whole situation even worse.
Because if Andrew suddenly decides he doesn’t need me here, I’m the easiest person to let go. And right now, losing this job is the last thing Ican afford. Especially if I’m going back home to a marriage that suddenly feels like it might not exist anymore.
I keep telling myself the same thing over and over. Do your work, stay invisible. Do not get fired by HR the moment you return home. By the time I check the clock again, it’s already 5:10 p.m. I gather my things quickly. I need to get back to the hotel and pack. My flight leaves early tomorrow morning.
If I hurry, I can still—
“Leaving already?”
I freeze. Lucien is leaning casually against the doorway behind me, arms crossed like he’s been standing there for a while. A slow smile spreads across his face. “Are you hiding from me now?”
I sigh softly. “Lucien…” I step closer and lower my voice. “I have to pack. My flight leaves tomorrow morning.”
Something flickers across his face. “Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
There’s a brief pause.
Then Lucien straightens. “Okay.”
I blink. “That was easier than expected.”