Sandra squeezes my shoulder. "That's how it's done."
Joyce smiles warmly. "Welcome to the club. You're one of us now."
The other women nod. Employees return to work, but something fundamental has happened. I stand there, Cole beside me, and I realize I feel like a totally different person.
I'm no longer that woman who sat frozen in an attorney's office while my relatives decided my future for me.
Now, I'm the CEO who just led a board meeting, destroyed a man's reputation, and publicly claimed her relationship without shame, all within an hour.
The woman who shrank herself to make others comfortable no longer exists.
I've never been this person before. Strong, unafraid, powerful.
And I'm never going back to being small again.
6
COLE
Six Months Later
The light shifts through the blinds of Meredith's office as she speaks. Her voice carries through the room, clear and commanding, but I'm distracted by how beautiful she looks. Six months of watching her transform into this powerhouse, and still I find myself staring, unable to look away, often losing my train of thought.
"Listen, Marcus, I understand your concerns about the deadline, but the Tokyo presentation is in three weeks, and I need those projections by Friday. Not Monday. Friday."
I lean against the wall, scanning the room in the way that's become second nature. Even here, in the heart of Ashton Collective, I never let my guard down.
Force of habit.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. Dex. I consider letting it go to voicemail, but with my brother, it's easier to deal with him immediately than suffer the barrage of messages that will follow.
I pull out my phone and answer quietly. "What?"
Meredith glances up from her desk, catches my eye. I mouth "Dex", and she smiles, returning to her call.
"So, when are you finally ready to assign Meredith to another security detail?" Dex asks, without preamble.
"Go to hell." I keep my voice low, but the corner of Meredith's mouth twitches. Her hearing is selective. Terrible when I'm telling her we need to leave for a meeting, perfect when I'm having a private conversation.
My perfect woman.
Dex laughs, the sound irritating. "Come on, brother. You've been her personal bodyguard for two and a half years. Don't you think it's time? Come back to the office."
"No." I turn slightly away from Meredith's desk, but I can still see her in my peripheral vision. She's drawing something on her notepad while she listens to Marcus.
"I don't really know how I manage to keep up with you. Just marry the woman already. If you won't, I will."
The small velvet box in my jacket pocket feels suddenly heavier. It's been there for three weeks now, burning a hole in my chest, waiting for the right moment.
"Fuck off, Dex." I end the call abruptly and slip the phone back into my pocket.
When I look up, Meredith is fully engaged with her call again. I study her, taking note of all the small changes that have accumulated over these months.
She sits differently now—back straight, shoulders squared, taking up the space she deserves. Her hands move with purpose as she speaks, gesturing to emphasize points, no longer tucked nervously in her lap or fidgeting with her pen.
"I need this handled, Marcus. The board has expectations, and I won't walk into that meeting unprepared." She pauses, listens. "Yes, I understand your team is stretched thin. Bring in additional resources from Sandra's department if you need to. I've already cleared it with her."
Her hair is pulled back today, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. She's wearing a deep blue dress that hugs her curves. Now she dresses for herself, not to disappear, and it makes my mouth fucking water.
