Romane von Requeza Imoh

I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them Nikos and Bella. His hands on her waist. Her fingers in his hair. I had no right to feel what I was feeling. I arrived early Tuesday, slipped into my office before the floor filled up, and stared at my screen until the words stopped meaning anything. At nine-fifteen, my desk phone rang. I stared at it. Let it ring once, and twice I picked it up. “Elena Hayes.” “My office, Now!” Nikos clipped, commanding. “I’m in the middle of ” The line went dead. I set the phone down slowly. My hands were shaking. I noticed that and said nothing to myself about it. I grabbed my tablet and walked to the elevator. Whatever this was, I wouldn’t arrive small. His office door was open. He stood by the window, hands in his pockets, staring out at Athens. I knocked once. “You wanted to see me?” I asked coolly. He turned, dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept either. “Close the door,” he said q

I stepped off the elevator on Monday morning and adjusted my blazer.First day at Stavros International. I’d spent the weekend preparing, researching, memorizing names and faces from the company directory.The executive floor was busy, assistants rushed past with coffee, phones rang, corporate chaos in full swing.I checked my phone, the morning meeting started in ten minutes, conference room 3901.I turned left down the corridor, nine minutes now. A door stood open. I pushed it wider, expecting the conference room.A man sat behind a massive desk. Fifties, gray hair, expensive suit. He looked up from his laptop.“You’re late,” he snapped.I blinked. “I’m sorry, I think I have the wrong room.”“The coffee. Where is it?” he demanded.“I’m not here to bring you coffee. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”“And what are you wearing?” His eyes moved over me with clear disapproval. “This is a professional environment, not a nightclub.”Heat flooded my face. “Excuse me?”He gestured

I didn’t wait until I reached the hotel. I dialed Jamie the moment I slid into the back of my father’s town car. He answered on the first ring. “Elena, thank God!” “Talk now. What’s so urgent it couldn’t wait until I cleared customs?” I demanded. Silence, then a shaky breath. “I’m in trouble.” “You’re always in trouble, Jamie. Be specific,” I said impatiently. “The kind of trouble that involves lawyers, contracts, and…” His voice dropped. “Two million euros.” My hand tightened on my phone. “What did you just say?” “I know how it sounds” “Two million euros? Jamie, what the hell have you done?” I asked, my voice rising. “There was this investment opportunity. Cryptocurrency, blockchain technology. The man seemed legitimate.” “The man.” My voice turned cold. “Does this person have a name?” Another pause, this time a little longer than it should have been . “Jamie,” I warned. “Nikos Starvos” Jamie repeated The Athens traffi

“What do you mean my seat was given away?”The gate agent smiled that tight, professional smile. “Ms. Hayes, there was a system error. We’ve upgraded another passenger to 2A.”“Downgrade them,” I said flatly.“I’m afraid that’s not possible. However, we do have 2B available, right next to..”“Fine.” I snatched the new boarding pass. I didn’t have time for this. My father’s merger meeting in Athens was in forty-eight hours, and I needed every minute of this flight to prep.I boarded early, sliding into 2B. The cabin was nearly empty, just how I liked it. I pulled out my laptop, my phone, my noise-canceling headphones. Everything I needed to keep the world out.Then he walked in.Tall, sharp jaw, broad-shouldered with dark hair that looked like he’d been running his hands through it. Expensive suit and an expression that matched my own irritation perfectly.He stopped at row two. His eyes, dark and intense, moved from his boarding pass to the seat number above my head, then to me.“You’