The billionaire's shy assistant, drunk, texted, "Come pick me up"—ten minutes later, the millionaire was at her doorstep... Only then did he find out why someone wanted her to leave

By four o'clock that afternoon, the dust had settled.

Vance had signed his resignation papers, the SEC had opened a formal investigation, and the Vanguard merger had been approved unanimously by the board.

I sat at my desk outside Julian’s office, staring at my computer screen, unable to focus on a single word. My heart was pounding for a completely different reason now.

The door to the private office opened.

Julian stood in the doorway, his jacket off, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite decipher.

“In my office, Nora,” he said softly.

I stood up, smoothing down my navy skirt, and followed him inside. The heavy oak door clicked shut behind us, locking out the noise of the executive suite.

Julian walked over to his wet bar, poured two glasses of scotch, and handed one to me.

“I don't usually drink at four PM,” I said, taking the crystal glass.

“You earned it,” he said, touching his glass to mine. “You destroyed a ruthless billionaire before lunch. Most people take ten years in corporate law to accomplish that.”

I took a small sip, feeling the amber liquor burn down my throat. “What happens now?”

Julian walked up to me, setting his glass on the desk behind him. He stepped into my personal space, his gaze heavy and intense.

“Now,” he said, “the company is safe. Vance is finished. And you are no longer in danger.”

A strange, hollow weight settled in my chest. “So... I go back to my studio in Astoria? And my cardigans?”

Julian reached out, his long fingers gently sliding my glasses off my face. He set them carefully on the desk beside his glass.

“No,” he whispered, his gray eyes tracking every detail of my face without the barrier of the lenses. “You don't go back to anything, Nora.”

“Julian...” I breathed out, my breath catching in my chest.

“For eight months,” he said, his voice dropping into a rough, passionate whisper, “I watched you work. I watched you organize my life while I pretended I didn't notice how bright you were, how beautiful you were, how much I wanted to tear down every professional wall between us.”

He took a step closer, his chest pressing against mine, pulling me flush against his solid body.

“And last night,” he murmured, his hand sliding up to wrap around the back of my neck, his thumb caressing my skin, “when you sent those texts... I almost lost my mind.”

“They were an accident,” I squeaked out, though my hands were already resting against his crisp white shirt, feeling the rapid, heavy beat of his heart.

“They were a miracle,” Julian corrected, leaning down until his lips were brushing against mine. “Tell me to stop, Nora. Tell me right now, and I will step back and remain your CEO.”