your body doesn't lie

—Samantha Pov—

The office was quiet except for the soft ticking of the clock on the wall and the low hum of the city beyond the tall glass windows.

I sat behind my desk, my eyes were fixed on the screen, reviewing the details of the upcoming Galen banquet. We had no room for errors. This was the only opening we had to get the information we needed, and I wasn’t going to let emotions or distractions get in the way.

But of course, distractions always had a way of finding me.

A knock came at the door, and before I could respond, it creaked open.

Mary strode into the office, arms full of designer shopping bags, boxes wrapped in velvet ribbons, and one ridiculously large bouquet of white roses.

"Miss Alice," she huffed, staggering in, "these just arrived. Three men sent them. Mr. Roland, Mr. Cheung, and... I think the last one is from the senator's assistant. Each came with a note.”

I blinked at the mountain of unnecessary nonsense she was trying to balance.

“Mary,” I said slowly, pinchi