By ten in the morning, I had convinced myself that Sophia Bennett meant nothing to me.

By ten fifteen, I had checked Alexander’s office door four times.

Pathetic.

I buried myself in work.

Schedules.

Contracts.

Press requests.

Anything that prevented me from imagining Sophia sitting across from Alexander with those two ridiculous espressos.

Then my office phone rang.

—Emily Carter?

—Yes?

—Mr. Grant wants you upstairs.

Of course he did.

I entered Alexander’s office five minutes later.

Sophia was still there.

One espresso sat beside her.

The other was untouched in front of Alexander.

He looked at me.

—Close the door.

I did.

Sophia smiled.

—So you’re Emily.

Something about the way she said my name irritated me.

—Apparently.

Alexander frowned.

—Emily.

—What?

Sophia laughed.

—I like her.

I looked between them.

—Can someone explain why I’m here?

Sophia pushed a folder toward me.

BENNETT MEDIA GROUP.

My irritation immediately became attention.

Bennett Media wasn’t some small company.

They controlled streaming platforms, advertising agencies and entertainment publications across three countries.

Sophia leaned back.

—Alexander wants me to invest in the international expansion of your artist division.

I blinked.

—Invest?

—Seventy million dollars.

I looked at Alexander.

He hadn’t mentioned anything.

Sophia continued:

—But I have one condition.

There it was.

I knew there would be one.

—What condition?

Sophia pointed at me.

—You.

I stared at her.

—Me?

—I want you running the project.

Alexander’s jaw tightened.

—We’ve discussed this.

—And I haven’t changed my mind.

Sophia turned toward me.

—I’ve watched how you manage crises. You’re good.

I should have been thrilled.

Instead, I looked at Alexander.

—You don’t want me doing it?

—That’s not what I said.

Sophia smiled knowingly.

—He said sending you overseas for six months would create “operational complications.”

I nearly laughed.

—Operational complications?

Alexander gave Sophia a warning look.

She ignored him.

—The position would be based in London.

London.

Six months.

A promotion.

A massive international project.

Exactly the kind of opportunity I had wanted for years.

—I’ll do it.

Alexander’s head snapped toward me.

—You haven’t heard the terms.

—I heard enough.

—Emily.

—Mr. Grant.

Sophia looked between us.

Then she slowly reached for her espresso.

—Interesting.

Alexander’s voice became colder.

—Leave us alone, Sophia.

She stood.

Before leaving, she picked up the second coffee and handed it to me.

—This was actually for you.

I froze.

—What?

—Alexander told me you drink Americano, but the café got the order wrong.

She smiled.

—He refused to drink it because he said you’d complain if he gave away your coffee.

The door closed behind her.

I stared at the cup.

Then at Alexander.

—You ordered me coffee?

—That’s irrelevant.

—Apparently everything is irrelevant to you.

His expression hardened.

—Why did you accept London immediately?

I couldn’t believe him.

—Because it’s a promotion.

—You didn’t even think about it.

—What exactly should I think about?

He had no answer.

I put the espresso down.

—You made things very clear this morning.

Something shifted in his expression.

—Emily—

—We’re adults. Remember?

He looked away.

That hurt more than I wanted it to.

So I smiled.

—Besides, Daniel is in London frequently.

Alexander’s gaze returned instantly.

—Your university friend?

—Yes.

—The one taking you to dinner tonight?

I blinked.

—You remembered?

—Unfortunately.

I almost smiled.

Almost.

Instead I turned toward the door.

—Anything else, Mr. Grant?

—Don’t sign Sophia’s contract yet.

—Why?

—Because I’m reviewing it.

—As CEO?

He paused.

—Yes.

I nodded.

—Good. For a moment I thought you were jealous.

Then I left.

That evening Daniel was waiting outside the restaurant.

He hadn’t changed much.

Same easy smile.

Same terrible habit of arriving fifteen minutes early.

Dinner was exactly what I needed.

No complicated signals.

No cold remarks.

No wondering whether every kind gesture meant something else.

When Daniel walked me outside afterward, he said:

—Come work with me.

I stopped.

—What?

—My company is opening a European entertainment division.

He smiled.

—I need someone who actually understands artists.

I laughed.

—Everyone suddenly wants to send me to Europe.

—Then maybe Europe is trying to tell you something.

A black car stopped across the street.

I recognized it immediately.

Alexander’s.

The rear window lowered.

He was inside.

Watching us.

Daniel followed my gaze.

—Your boss?

—Unfortunately.

Alexander stepped out.

—Emily. We need to talk.

Daniel glanced at me.

—Do you want me to stay?

Before I could answer, Alexander said:

—No.

I folded my arms.

—He wasn’t asking you.

Alexander went silent.

Daniel smiled slightly.

—Call me tomorrow.

He left.

Alexander watched him disappear.

Then he looked at me.

—You’re not taking his offer.

I laughed.

—Excuse me?

—There’s something you don’t know about Daniel.

—And suddenly you’re concerned about my personal life?

—This isn’t personal.

—Everything with you is “not personal.”

He stepped closer, then stopped himself.

—Daniel didn’t contact you by coincidence.

My smile disappeared.

—What are you talking about?

Alexander handed me his phone.

An email was open.

It had been sent three weeks earlier.

From Daniel.

To Sophia Bennett.

My eyes moved across the screen.

Daniel had been asking about me.

My contract.

My career plans.

Whether I might consider leaving Grant Entertainment.

I looked up.

—Why?

Alexander’s expression was unreadable.

—Because Sophia wasn’t here today just to discuss an investment.

He took back the phone.

—She’s considering buying the company.

My stomach dropped.

—What?

—And Daniel works for the group advising her.

Suddenly dinner didn’t feel quite so simple anymore.

—Why didn’t you tell me?

—Because I didn’t know whether you were involved.

That hurt.

—You thought I was helping them?

—For about five minutes.

—And now?

Alexander looked directly at me.

—Now I think they’re trying to recruit you before they make their move.

My phone vibrated.

Daniel.

A message.

“Don’t trust Alexander. Ask him why Bennett Media suddenly wants his company.”

I showed Alexander.

For the first time that evening, he looked genuinely alarmed.

—Don’t answer.

—Why?

His phone rang.

Sophia.

He answered.

Whatever she said made his face change.

—When?

Silence.

—I’m coming.

He hung up.

—What happened?

Alexander grabbed his coat.

—Someone leaked the acquisition documents.

—So?

He looked at me.

—The leak came from your company account.

I stopped breathing.

—That’s impossible.

—I know.

—How?

—Because at the exact time those files were sent…

He looked straight into my eyes.

—You were with me.

And suddenly the problem wasn’t whether Alexander cared about me.

Someone inside the company had used my identity.

And whoever had done it knew exactly where I had been that night.