2

No. No. No. No. No! This couldn’t be happening.

I had no savings. I was still trying to claw my way out of my father’s debt. And this job? It was the only thing keeping me afloat.

Panic swelled inside me like a violent wave, threatening to crash in the worst way possible, but I clung to control, forcing myself to breathe through the chaos. I had to think. I had to focus.

There had to be a way out of this.

This couldn’t be the end for us… right?

Tallis yanked off her red-framed glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. “They want us to clear our desks and return everything by noon passes, equipment, all of it,” she said, her voice cracking.

Dariel shot out of his chair, his fists clenched and trembling. “The new CEO can’t just do this to us! We haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Actually,” Rex said, stepping forward, his lips pulling into a bitter smile, “he can. And he just did. According to him, we’re... obsolete. That’s it. Time to pack.”

As much as I wanted to refute Rex’s words, I couldn’t. We all knew the truth. Our department had become a ghost ship barely acknowledged, our reports skimmed or outright ignored. Still, we had been diligent, committed, giving every project our full effort.

“So that’s it?” Dariel’s voice broke under the weight of fury and despair. “We’re just going to roll over and take it?”

My chest tightened. I hurt for him for all of us.

It wasn’t fair.

The CEO hadn’t even spoken to us, hadn’t bothered to know who we were. If he had, he would’ve realized he was cutting loose some of the most capable professionals in the building. But instead, we were dismissed like scraps.

And then, before I could stop myself, the words leapt from my mouth bold, reckless, and burning with quiet rage.

“We should go talk to him.”

Silence.

Every head snapped in my direction.

Tallis blinked, then slowly a grin stretched across her face. “Brilliant idea, Ami! March in there and beg for mercy.”

Romilly clasped her hands dramatically. “I second that! He’ll take one look at your baby blues and sweet face, and poof he’ll undo everything!”

A breathy, almost hysterical laugh escaped me. “This is a terrible idea,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “It’s probably the worst idea I’ve ever had.”

But Dariel rushed to my side, gripping my hands like a lifeline. “Please. I can’t lose this job. I’ve got a family. No one else will hire a freak like me.”

Tallis stepped up, her hand resting gently on my shoulder. “You’re the only one among us with a shot. You’re calm. Logical. Please, Ami. You’re our last hope.”

My resolve cracked under the weight of their pleading stares.

How could I say no?

They looked at me like I was their last lifeline the one thing standing between them and disaster.

“I’ll… go.” The words tumbled out before I could reel them back in.

Cheers erupted. They clapped my back and smiled as if I’d just volunteered to slay a dragon. Meanwhile, panic clawed at my chest. Before I could second-guess myself, Tallis had opened the door and gently nudged me into the hallway.

The door clicked shut behind me.

I stood frozen, the empty hallway echoing with the silence of a choice I couldn’t take back.

And then it hit me.

Theron.

If the new CEO was the same Theron I remembered from high school the arrogant, cold-hearted tormentor then we were already screwed. I wouldn’t be able to convince him of anything.

The thought of seeing him again made my stomach twist.

I should turn back.

Tell the others I couldn’t do it.

But what if… what if I really was the only one who could?

Drawing in a deep, unsteady breath, I walked to the elevator and stepped inside. As the numbers climbed, my pulse quickened.

“I can do this. I can do this. I can do this,” I whispered, trying and failing to convince myself.

Maybe it’s not him. There have to be tons of Theron Lockharts in New York, right?

The problem was, my Theron had also been rich rich enough to match the man now running the company. Which meant the odds were dangerously not in my favor.

The elevator chimed.

The doors slid open to reveal a gleaming corridor, floors of polished marble so pristine they almost glowed.

I stepped out, nerves fraying with every stride toward the reception desk. The woman behind it looked like she belonged on a runway glossy black hair, razor-sharp cheekbones, and an expression that could curdle milk.

“Excuse me,” I murmured, awkwardness crawling over me.

She gave me a once-over, her eyes snagging on my employee pass, and a tight-lipped sneer tugged at her mouth. “Are you lost? Shall I direct you back down?”

Her tone was steeped in contempt.

I swallowed my irritation and forced a polite smile. “I’m Amaris Kennerly from the Data Revising Department. I’d like to speak with Mr. Theron Lockhart.”

Saying his name out loud felt like stepping into a nightmare.

She tapped her crimson nails against the desk. “Mr. Lockhart is busy.”

“I’ll wait,” I replied calmly. “Is he in a meeting or?”

“He’s busy,” she repeated, sharper now.

“I only need five minutes”

“He’s. Busy.”

Before I could push further, the elevator behind me dinged. I turned and nearly forgot how to breathe.

He stepped out.

Theron Lockhart.

It was him. The devil himself.

Tall, broad-shouldered, eyes fixed on his phone, dressed in a charcoal suit that clung to a body far more refined than the one I remembered. Time had turned the cocky jock into something sharp and magnetic.

A quiet, involuntary sound escaped me. God, he looked… good. And it made me furious.

His dark hair remained tousled, unruly. A faint scar beneath his left eye only enhanced the dangerous allure of his face. This was so unfair. How was I supposed to plead for mercy when I couldn’t even think straight while looking at him?

Then his gaze lifted and landed on me.

He slowed. Curiosity flickered in those unmistakable green eyes.

“Are you here to see me, Ms. Kennerly?” he asked, glancing at my ID badge.

There was something in the way he said my name.

He didn’t recognize me. Did he?

Or… did he?

“There’s something familiar about you,” he said, stepping closer. “Have we met before?”

My throat went dry.

If he recognized me, we were doomed.

“I uh I’m from the Data Revising Department. I wanted to”

“There’s no such department in my company,” he cut in smoothly.

I blinked. “Well… there was, until this morning. I just”

“You’re here to beg,” he said, a smirk curling his lips.

My jaw clenched. “Mr. Lockhart, I came to ask you to reconsider”

“There’s nothing to reconsider,” he snapped. “But go ahead. Tell me what profitable projects has your department delivered?”

I bit back frustration. “None. But that’s not because of us”

“Exactly.” His eyes went cold. “My decision stands. Leave by noon.”

He moved past me until I caught his sleeve.

“I’d argue it’s the company’s fault for never giving us the opportunity to prove ourselves. We’re skilled, Mr. Lockhart. We never got real assignments. Just… scraps.”

He stopped. Chuckled. And the sound sent a chill down my spine.

I knew that laugh. It always came before something awful.

“Fine,” he said at last. “Let’s see what you’re made of. Heard of Moonlight Vacation?”

“Yes,” I replied cautiously. “We reviewed it last month. It had critical code issues”

“Fix it.”

I stared at him. “I what?”

“Fix it,” he repeated with a shrug. “Turn it into something that sells.”

My heart skipped a beat. That game was a mess. We’d laughed about how broken it was. It would need a complete overhaul to be usable.

“We’ll need at least two, maybe three weeks”

“You have twenty-four hours.”

“What?” I gasped.

He smiled, all teeth and ice. “Talented and qualified people should rise to a challenge, shouldn’t they?” He turned and walked away. “Twenty-four hours, Ms. Kennerly,” he called over his shoulder. “Deliver or disappear.”