LOGINPeople were expressing sympathy for her. Others were calling for Saint Liman to investigate Cyprus. Some were speculating that the reason Olivia had become the face of the campaign so quickly was because she had slept with him. Her face heated. “This is insane.”There were people dissecting the behind-the-scenes video. The way Cyprus had looked at her. The way she had looked back. The moment he had leaned toward her. The tension between them. Before, it had all been treated like entertaining gossip. A possible office romance. A flirtation. Something for fans to speculate about. Now those same moments had been repackaged as evidence. Olivia felt her stomach twist.Cyprus continued, “If I immediately come out and deny sleeping with you, people will ask why I’m specifically denying that part. If I deny coercing you, they’ll accuse me of trying to get ahead of the story.”Any reaction could be interpreted as guilt. Any silence could be interpreted as guilt.“She’s trying to force you into
Near the monitor, Amara and Sacha stood together, still discussing something on the screen.Olivia approached them. “I'm leaving you two to whatever evil genius plan you're cooking up.”Amara waved distractedly. “Bye, Livienne.”“See you next shoot,” Sacha added.“See you.” Olivia made her way toward the exit.Marcus and Gustav were waiting near the entrance, and she offered them both a smile as Marcus retrieved her phone. “Have a good evening, Ms. Livienne,” Marcus said.Gustav nodded his own goodbye. Olivia stepped outside. The air was cooler than she had expected. She had barely made it a few feet from the studio doors when she noticed someone standing nearby. Olivia stopped at the sight of Cyprus. He stood just a short distance away, looking as if he had been there waiting.He was on a phone call, and whatever he was being told seemed to be doing a remarkable job of ruining his mood.Olivia noticed it before she was even close enough to hear his voice. He stood a few feet away fro
Olivia's smile faded slightly as she studied his reflection. His expression had taken on a different quality and became more serious. “We spent weeks creating that original campaign, and some bastard decided they could make money off it.”Olivia thought of the mole and felt that same flare of anger she had experienced when Sacha first told her about the leak. It had not been her designs. She had not created the campaign. But she had worked. She had spent long days on set. She had watched Jules and Celine and the rest of the team pour time and energy into making every detail work.Jules leaned back slightly, studying Olivia's makeup. “What motivates me,” he continued, “is knowing that this campaign can be even better than the one that was leaked.”Olivia's eyes met his in the mirror. A slow smile appeared on his face. “And knowing that we get to stick it to whoever the hell the spy is.”Olivia's own smile returned. “That too.”Soon, she was standing in front of the camera. The transf
At the exact moment Sacha opened her mouth, Jules called from across the studio before she could say a word. “Livienne!”Olivia turned so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash. Jules stood beside one of the clothing racks, waving her over. “Come and see this.”“Saved by the bell,” Olivia muttered under her breath. Sacha's grin widened. Olivia ignored her and crossed the studio. The moment she got closer to Jules, her eyes landed on the outfit hanging before him. She stopped. “Oh.”It was a dress, technically. Olivia narrowed her eyes as she took it in. The thing was tiny, sequined, and dangerously skimpy, constructed in such a way that it gave the illusion that the woman wearing it was not wearing a dress at all but had simply been covered strategically in jewels. The sequins caught the studio lights and glittered brilliantly, while delicate strands of what looked almost like chains draped across sections of the bodice.It was dramatic, it was extravagant and it was so completely
Throughout the weekend, Olivia had not been able to get the outing at the park out of her head.It was ridiculous, really.She had spent years learning how to compartmentalize the different parts of her life. Livienne belonged to Saint Liman and flashing cameras and contracts that could make or break a career. Olivia belonged to her girls, to messy breakfasts and bedtime stories and knowing exactly which twin had hidden the remote when it went missing.Cyprus Blackwell was supposed to belong firmly in the first category. Instead, somehow, he had crossed over into the second.Every time Olivia remembered it, she felt a fresh wave of embarrassment crawl under her skin. What kind of coincidence was that? Of all the men in the city, Cyprus had turned out to be Hazel and Poppy's beloved Mister.The Mister who had climbed a tree to rescue Hazel. The Mister who had searched through an entire garden for Poppy's Octi. And, apparently, the Mister who was perfectly willing to summon an entire ic
"Mothers," Livienne continued, "remember the thought, not the price."Cyprus fell completely silent. For the first time in days, an idea began taking shape. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, unlocked it and immediately began typing before the thought escaped him.Livienne watched with growing amusement. "Are you taking notes?"Without looking up, Cyprus continued typing. "If I'm going to do this, I'd rather do it properly."He saved the note before slipping the phone back into his pocket.Livienne nodded once before pushing herself off the stone bench. "I'll be right back."Cyprus watched her walk away, weaving through the winding paths toward the parking lot where their cars were waiting. Curious, he considered asking where she was going, but thought better of it. If she wanted him to know, she'd tell him when she returned.He leaned back against the bench, one arm stretched along its backrest as he watched the children eat their ice-cream. He still found it remarkable







