Julian watched as Sebastian leaned forward, steepling his fingers, completely captivated.
"Bennett & Mendoza Consulting proposes a different route," Sarah continued, clicking to the next slide, revealing a stunning, beautifully rendered cross-section of the building. "By utilizing carbon-fiber wrapping on the original timber columns and implementing a suspended mezzanine, we preserve the historical integrity, maintain the aesthetic value that luxury tenants demand, and—most importantly—reduce your structural reinforcement costs by twenty-two percent."
A low murmur of impressed approval rippled down the length of the executive table.
Julian couldn't stop the slow, proud smirk that spread across his face. She wasn't just pitching them; she was dismantling Ryan Sinclair’s generic, overpriced methodology piece by piece, right in front of the city's biggest developers.
She didn't look like a woman who had been betrayed, divorced, and driven out of her job. She looked like a titan.
Ten minutes later, the lights came up. The executives didn't just clap politely; Sebastian stood up, extending his hand across the table.
"Ms. Bennett. Ms. Mendoza," Sebastian said, looking between Sarah and Lily. "That was, without a doubt, the most structurally sound and visually compelling pitch we've seen all quarter. We'll have our legal team draft the consulting contracts by Friday."
Sarah shook his hand, her smile brilliant and completely unwavering. "We look forward to it, Sebastian."
As the executives filed out of the room, chatting excitedly amongst themselves, Sarah began gathering her notes. Julian pushed off the glass wall and walked slowly down the length of the empty table.
Sarah looked up, freezing as she finally spotted him. Her eyes widened, the fierce, professional mask instantly melting into a look of absolute, breathless joy.
"Julian?" she gasped, dropping her file folder onto the table. "What are you doing here? How did you even get in?"
"I built the structural framework for this building six years ago. I know the security codes," Julian smiled, closing the distance between them. He pulled Sarah directly into his arms, kissing her deeply, right there in the center of the boardroom.
When he pulled back, he kept his hands on her waist. "You were magnificent. You absolutely owned them."
"We got the contract," Sarah laughed, a slightly dizzy, euphoric sound. "Julian, we actually got it."
"Sinclair never stood a chance," Julian murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Julian!"
He turned as Lily walked over, a bright, victorious smile on her face as she clutched her tablet to her chest.
"Lily," Julian smiled warmly, releasing Sarah's waist just enough to greet her business partner. "Congratulations. The branding work was flawless."
"I told you we were going to build an empire," Lily beamed.
Julian looked at her as the two women celebrated. He remembered the dinner Sarah had hosted at her house a little over two months ago, where she had officially introduced them. Over roasted chicken and wine, he had watched Lily closely. She was undeniably beautiful, sharply intelligent, and had a razor-quick wit that kept pace with his own. But beneath the sharp jokes and the professional drive, Julian had recognized a deep, lingering sadness in her eyes. It was the look of someone carrying the heavy, exhausting weight of a recent betrayal. She was fighting through it, just like Sarah had.
"Now, pack up your things, you two," Julian said, his voice full of easy affection. "I'm taking the city's newest lead consultant home for dinner. Lily, you're welcome to join us."
"And third-wheel your celebration? Absolutely not," Lily laughed, waving them off. "I'm going home to sleep for fourteen hours. Go celebrate."
***
Julian’s penthouse was a study in modern masculinity—high ceilings, exposed concrete pillars, and massive floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the twinkling skyline.
Usually, the sheer size of the space felt a little empty to him. But tonight, with Sarah sitting at the sprawling marble kitchen island, holding a glass of Cabernet and laughing as he chopped garlic, the penthouse finally felt like a home.
"I still can't believe you snuck into the back of the room," Sarah said, taking a sip of her wine. She had kicked off herheels and was wearing one of his soft gray t-shirts over her suit trousers, looking perfectly relaxed. "If I had known you were watching, I would have stuttered over the carbon-fiber calculations."
"You didn't stutter once," Julian corrected, tossing the garlic into a hot pan of sizzling butter. "You are terrifyingly competent, Sarah. I’m just glad I get to cook for the boss."
Sarah blushed, a warm, beautiful color rushing to her cheeks. She smiled into her wine glass.
Julian turned down the heat on the stove and walked around the island to grab a towel. As he did, his eyes snagged on a small stack of mail his assistant had left on the polished entryway table that afternoon.
Sitting on top of the pile was a thick, heavy envelope made of expensive cream cardstock.
