“No one would think you earned your position because of that,” he says.
But he hesitates.
And I see it—the crack in his certainty.
“You don’t know that,” I reply quietly, reaching for my purse. “I need to go home. I’ll see you at the office.”
“Emma—”
“Please, Don.” I meet his eyes. “I just need a little space to think.”
He nods, jaw tight, shoulders tense. “Fine. But this conversation isn’t over.”
“I know.”
He doesn’t stop me as I gather my things—just offers his house manager’s help, which I decline. My pulse is still jack-hammering by the time I step out of the penthouse—out of the quiet, the luxury, the dangerous intimacy—already knowing one thing.
Leaving was theright call.
Even if it feels like hell.
By the time I get to Titan, I'm forty-five minutes late and Carmen is waiting at my desk with raised eyebrows.
"Rough morning?" she asks.
"Something like that." I drop my bag and boot up my computer. "What did I miss?"
"Nothing major. But Emma?" She glances around, then lowers her voice. "Can we talk? Privately?"
My stomach sinks. "Sure. Conference room?"
Five minutes later, we're sitting in a glass box overlooking the third floor, and Carmen has that look on her face—the concerned-but-kind expression that means I'm about to hear something I don't want to hear.
"I'm going to be direct," she says. "Because I care about you, and I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Okay."
"People are talking."
Three words. Complete devastation.
"About what?" I ask, even though I already know.
"About you and Donovan." Carmen leans forward. "The closed-door meetings. The way he watches you in presentations. The fact that you were both conspicuously absent from the office Friday afternoon."
"We had the product launch Thursday night. Friday was a recovery day—"
"Emma." Her voice is gentle but firm. "I don't know what's going on between you two after…everything. And honestly? It's none of my business. But as your supervisor and your friend, I need to warn you: office romances rarely end well. Especially when there's a significant power dynamic."
I feel sick. "People think I'm sleeping with him foradvancement."
"I don't know what people think. But I do know that perception matters. And right now, the perception is that Donovan is paying special attention to his newest strategist." She pauses. "If there's something going on, you need to be careful. For your career. For your reputation."
"There's nothing going on," I lie.
Carmen gives me a look that says she doesn't believe me but won't push. "Okay. But Emma? Just... be smart about this."
After she leaves, I sit in the conference room for a full five minutes, trying not to panic.
