CHAPTER 3 The CEO Who Never Goes Home

By eight in the evening, most of Moonberry & Co. had gone quiet, but the thirty-first floor seemed to be waking up.

Posy Marin was beginning to think her new workplace operated according to a calendar nobody had bothered to explain to her. Downstairs, people rushed through their mornings with coffee cups and meeting folders. Up here, the lights were warm, the corridors were silent, and the executive offices were still busy long after sunset.

She settled into her chair, placed her tote bag beneath the desk, and logged into her workstation. Her pink hair was tied into a slightly messy bun with a velvet ribbon, and a few loose strands had already escaped.

"Good evening, Posy," Evelyn called as she emerged from her office, carrying a stack of folders. "You're early again. I'm beginning to think you might be the most punctual person in this building."

Posy smiled as she opened her notebook.

"I'd love to take credit for that, but I think I'm still frightened of what might happen if an elevator decides to take me somewhere unexpected. Arriving early gives me enough time to recover before anyone important sees me."

Evelyn laughed and placed the folders on her desk.

"Then let's hope the elevators behave themselves tonight. I've put the late-night agenda on the shared drive, and Mr. Fitzgerald has a video conference with our European distribution partners at nine, followed by a review of the autumn packaging designs."

"I'll get everything ready. By the way, Evelyn, can I ask you something? Does Mr. Fitzgerald always work this late? I noticed that most of his morning meetings are handled by the board or through written reports, and I haven't seen him downstairs during the day."

Evelyn adjusted the folders in her arms.

"He's always preferred working in the evening. Some people are at their best before sunrise, and others seem to come alive after everyone else has gone home. Mr. Fitzgerald has never been particularly fond of the usual office routine."

Posy considered that.

"I suppose that makes sense, although I'd probably turn into a sleepy little pumpkin if I had to work until midnight every day. Does he ever take a weekend off, or does he spend those days rearranging his paperwork for fun?"

"Five years I've worked for him, and I still wouldn't know how to answer that question." Evelyn smiled. "Now, could you take these revised reports into his office before his call? I'll finish preparing the remaining documents here."

Posy gathered the folders.

"Of course. And if he happens to be rearranging paperwork for fun, please tell him I admire his dedication, but I hope he has a more exciting hobby hidden somewhere."

"I'll keep that in mind."

With a smile, Posy headed down the corridor.

She knocked twice on Rafe's office door.

"Come in."

Rafe was seated behind his desk, his suit jacket resting over the back of his chair. His white shirt was neatly buttoned, with the sleeves folded back as he worked through a document on his screen. The tall windows behind him were covered by heavy curtains, leaving only the warm desk lamps to illuminate the room.

He looked up when Posy entered.

"Miss Marin. I see you're settling into the evening routine."

"I'm trying my best, Mr. Fitzgerald. So far, the elevators have been cooperative, the paperwork hasn't attempted to ruin my career, and I've only had one cup of tea. I'd say things are looking rather promising."

"An impressive improvement from yesterday."

"I thought so too. Although, between you and me, I haven't entirely forgiven the elevator. I'm willing to give it another chance, but we'll have to see whether it can maintain this new attitude."

Rafe set down his pen, and the faintest smile appeared on his face.

"I'll inform Maintenance that its good behaviour has been noticed."

"Thank you. I'm sure it'll be very pleased to hear that its efforts are finally being appreciated."

She placed the folders neatly on his desk.

"Evelyn asked me to bring these revised reports over before your video conference. Everything is arranged according to the index, and I've marked the updated figures so they're easy to find."

"Thank you. That will save me some time."

He glanced at the folders, then looked back at her.

"How was your first evening here? I trust Evelyn hasn't buried you beneath so much paperwork that you've forgotten what your own desk looks like."

Posy laughed softly.

"Not at all. She's been lovely, and I'm learning quite a lot. I did spend ten minutes trying to understand one of the filing categories, but once Evelyn explained it, everything made sense. I think I'm going to like working here, provided the documents continue to cooperate."

"I'm pleased to hear that."

Posy tucked a loose strand of pink hair behind her ear.

"There's something I've been wondering about, though. You seem to do most of your work at night, and I was curious whether there's a particular reason. I hope you don't mind me asking. I'm not trying to investigate your personal life; I'm simply wondering how anyone manages to stay productive at these hours without falling asleep in the middle of a meeting."

Rafe leaned back in his chair.

"Perhaps I've simply never developed a taste for early mornings. The office is quieter at night, and I can get through my work without being interrupted every few minutes."

"That sounds rather peaceful, actually. I like quiet evenings too, especially when I have a good book and something sweet to eat. But I think I'd miss seeing the sunshine if I spent all my time indoors."

"Sunshine is overrated."

Posy gave him a look of mild disbelief.

"That's a very bold statement from someone who seems to have arranged his entire life around avoiding the morning. I think you might change your mind if you spent a lovely afternoon outside with a picnic basket and a box of chocolates."

"And what would you recommend I do if it rained?"

"Bring an umbrella, obviously. Or stay home with your chocolates and pretend the rain is part of the experience. There are solutions to most things, Mr. Fitzgerald, even the weather."

Rafe's smile lingered a little longer this time.

"I'll remember that the next time I find myself struggling with a difficult forecast."

"Please do. I'm full of excellent advice, although I should warn you that my expertise is strongest when chocolate is involved."

She was gathering her notebook when Rafe opened the top drawer of his desk.

"I have something for you."

Posy looked up in surprise.

He took out a small tin wrapped with a pale pink ribbon and placed it beside the folders.

She approached the desk, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"What is it?"

"An acknowledgment of a previous kindness."

Posy loosened the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside lay several dark chocolate truffles dusted with cocoa, each one arranged neatly in a small paper cup. A delicate scent of raspberry and vanilla rose from the box.

Her face brightened.

"Oh, these look beautiful! Are they from the chocolate kitchen downstairs?"

"They're a prototype for our autumn collection. I thought you might enjoy trying them."

She looked from the chocolates to him.

"You didn't have to give me anything. The strawberry chocolate yesterday was just a little thank-you for helping me, and I didn't expect anything in return."

"I know. That's why I wanted to return the courtesy." He paused, then added, "You were kind enough to think of me during a long evening. It seemed reasonable to do the same for you."

Posy's smile softened.

"That's really thoughtful of you. Thank you. I promise I'll give you an honest opinion, although I should probably warn you that I'm very easy to impress when it comes to chocolate."

"Then I'll try not to let the praise go to the kitchen team's heads."

She laughed and picked up one of the truffles.

The chocolate melted on her tongue, rich and smooth, with a gentle sweetness that lingered after the first bite.

"Oh, this is wonderful. The raspberry is just enough to make it interesting without taking over the whole flavour. If this is still a prototype, I hope the final version tastes exactly like this, because I can already imagine people buying boxes just to hide them from their families."

"That is a surprisingly useful observation."

"Thank you. I take my chocolate responsibilities very seriously."

"I can see that."

She closed the tin carefully and held it against her chest.

"I'll save the rest for later. Otherwise, I'll finish the entire box before I've even completed my work, and then I'll have to explain to Evelyn why the new intern has disappeared behind a pile of empty chocolate wrappers."

"I'd prefer not to have that report on my desk."

"Then I'll do my best to spare you the paperwork."

Posy placed the tin beside her notebook.

Rafe's gaze moved briefly to the empty space where she'd set it.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?"

She hesitated.

"I had a sandwich before I came in, but I suppose that was quite a while ago. I was so busy getting ready that I didn't think much about it."

"There are sandwiches and fruit in the staff kitchen. Please take a proper break before you finish the rest of the reports."

Posy blinked.

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave Evelyn with extra work, and I can finish everything before midnight."

"The reports can wait fifteen minutes. I'd rather have you finish them properly than discover tomorrow that you've made mistakes because you were too tired to concentrate."

She smiled at him, touched by the consideration.

"All right. I'll have something to eat, and I'll come straight back. Thank you for looking out for me."

"I'm looking after the quality of the work, Miss Marin."

"Of course. And I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that a hungry intern might start talking to the stationery again."

"Should that happen, I hope you'll at least choose an appropriate audience."

Posy laughed as she picked up her things.

"I'll try to make sure the pens don't hear anything confidential."

She was almost at the door when another question came to mind.

"By the way, do you really never go home during the day? Chloe downstairs says she's worked here for months and has hardly ever seen you in the main lobby."

Rafe's expression remained composed.

"My schedule is different from most people's. The board handles a number of daytime matters, and I prefer to concentrate on my own responsibilities when the building is quieter."

"That makes sense. I suppose everyone has their own way of working." Posy adjusted the strap of her handbag. "Still, I hope you remember to rest sometimes. Even people who love their jobs need a little time to themselves."

"I'll take that under advisement."

She smiled.

"That's all I ask. Good luck with your video conference, Mr. Fitzgerald. I hope everyone agrees with your autumn designs so you don't have to stay here until the sun comes up."

"Thank you, Posy."

She paused at the sound of her first name.

He'd addressed her formally throughout most of their conversation, so hearing him say it so naturally caught her off guard. She returned his smile, then slipped out of the office and headed toward the staff kitchen.

Rafe watched the door close before turning back to the documents on his desk.

The small chocolate tin sat near his hand, its pale pink ribbon slightly loosened.

He had intended to give Posy a simple thank-you. Nothing more.

Yet he'd found himself noticing the time she'd spent at her desk, remembering the cheerful note she'd left, and wondering whether she'd eaten dinner.

He wasn't accustomed to paying attention to such small things.

That, he decided, was something he would have to correct.

By eleven-thirty, Posy had finished the remaining reports and returned them to Evelyn for review.

She was checking the next day's schedule when an automated notification appeared on her screen.

CALENDAR UPDATE: RAFE FITZGERALD — PERSONAL SCHEDULE

The notification had been attached to a shared calendar she was authorised to access while assisting with executive scheduling.

Posy opened it, expecting to find travel arrangements, private appointments, and perhaps a few meetings that hadn't been added to the main office calendar.

Instead, she noticed a repeating entry scheduled for the same hour every week.

RESTRICTED ARCHIVES — FLOOR 31-B

Celestial Cycle Audit

She frowned and checked the date.

The meeting was scheduled for the following night, shortly after midnight.

Another entry appeared the week after that. Then another.

Every appointment took place at the same late hour.

Posy leaned closer to the screen.

She hadn't heard of Floor 31-B. The building directory listed the thirty-first floor as the highest level accessible to ordinary employees, and there was no mention of an additional section in the documentation Evelyn had given her.

Perhaps it was an internal archive room. That would explain why it wasn't included in the regular directory.

She was about to close the calendar when a note attached to the recurring appointment caught her eye.

Do not schedule human personnel during lunar alignment.

Posy's fingers stopped above the keyboard.

Human personnel?

She read the note again, then checked the calendar title.

Celestial Cycle Audit.

It sounded less like an ordinary business meeting and more like something from one of the fantasy novels she liked to read before bed.

She glanced toward Rafe's office. The door was closed, and light still shone beneath it.

Perhaps there was a perfectly reasonable explanation. Moonberry & Co. was an old company with unusual internal procedures, and the executive team handled confidential matters that interns weren't expected to understand.

Still, she couldn't help wondering why a chocolate company needed an audit connected to lunar alignment.

Posy copied the appointment details into her notes, careful not to change anything in the calendar.

Then she closed the file.

She wasn't going to snoop through confidential records. She had a job to do, and she intended to do it properly.

But as she packed her bag, one question followed her all the way to the elevator.

Why did Rafe Fitzgerald need an appointment that specifically warned against scheduling human personnel?

And why did she have the strange feeling that the answer would be far more interesting than anything she'd find in an ordinary office handbook?