CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE SLIP

Monday started wrong.

I woke up late. Leo wouldn't stop crying. The babysitter called in sick. I had to find emergency backup, which took forty-five minutes and cost double.

By the time I got to the office, it was 8:37.

Adrian was already there. His door was closed. I could hear his voice through it—sharp, angry.

I sat down. Logged in. His calendar was a disaster. Three meetings had shifted. Two new ones had been added. Someone from legal needed files I didn't have.

My phone rang. "Mr. Thorne's office."

"This is Davidson. I need to speak with Adrian immediately."

"He's on another call. Can I take a message?"

"No. Get him. Now."

I put Davidson on hold. Buzzed Adrian's line.

Nothing.

I buzzed again.

His door flew open. "What?"

"Davidson. Says it's urgent."

He grabbed the phone from my desk. Didn't even go back to his office. Just stood there. "What is it?"

I tried not to listen. Focused on the calendar. Tried to make sense of the chaos.

"That's impossible," Adrian said. His voice had dropped. Dangerous quiet. "When did this happen?"

Silence.

"I don't care what they're saying. Fix it. Now." He slammed the phone down.

I looked up. His face was white. Jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping.

"Mr. Thorne?"

"Get me every file we have on the Meridian deal. Everything. Contracts, emails, meeting notes. I want it on my desk in ten minutes."

"Of course."

He walked into his office. The door didn't close.

I pulled up the file system. Started searching. Meridian, Meridian, where was—

Found it.

I printed everything. Grabbed the physical files from storage. Carried the stack to his office.

He was on the phone again. Pacing. "I don't care if you have to fly there yourself. This deal cannot fall apart."

I set the files on his desk. Turned to leave.

"Wait." He covered the phone. "Stay. I might need you."

I sat in the chair across from his desk.

He continued the call. Five minutes. Ten. His voice got sharper. More controlled. The way it did when he was barely holding it together.

Finally: "Fine. Call me when it's done." He hung up.

Silence.

Then he threw his phone across the room.

It hit the wall. Fell to the floor.

I didn't move.

Adrian stood there. Breathing hard. Hands in fists.

"The Meridian deal is imploding," he said finally. "Their CEO is getting cold feet. Wants to renegotiate. After six months of work. After we've already announced it."

"Can they do that?"

"Technically? No. But if they walk, we're stuck in legal hell for a year. And the press will crucify us."

He sat down. Put his head in his hands.

I'd never seen him like this. Not at work. Not when he thought someone was watching.

"What do you need me to do?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know." His voice was muffled. "I don't know."

"We could—"

"I've tried everything. Every option. Every compromise. They're not listening."

"Then make them listen."

He looked up. "How?"

"Find what they want. What they really want. Not what they're saying they want."

"I don't have time for that."

"You don't have a choice."

His phone rang on the floor. He stared at it.

I stood. Picked it up. The screen was cracked but it still worked.

"It's legal," I said.

He took it. Answered. "Yes... No... I said no... Because it's not good enough." He paused. "Fine. Send it over."

He hung up. Tossed the phone on his desk.

"This is a nightmare."

"You'll fix it."

"Will I?" He laughed. Bitter. "My father would have never let this happen."

"Your father isn't here. You are."

"Maybe that's the problem."

I stood. Walked to his desk. "Stop."

He looked up.

"You're going to fix this. Because that's what you do. You find solutions when everyone else sees problems. That's why you're the CEO and they're not."

Something shifted in his face.

"You need to call their CEO directly," I continued. "Not the lawyers. Not the intermediaries. You need to talk to him yourself. Find out what changed. What scared him."

"He won't take my call."

"Then show up. Fly to wherever he is. Make him talk to you."

Adrian stared at me. "That's insane."

"So is letting a six-month deal die because you were too afraid to try."

Silence.

Then he grabbed his phone. "Book me a flight to Chicago. Today. And get me a meeting with Richard Preston. I don't care what you have to do."

"I'll handle it."

He stood. Straightened his tie. "Thank you."

I nodded. Started to leave.

"Reina?"

I turned.

"You're right. About all of it." He almost smiled. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

My chest tightened. "You'd figure it out."

"Maybe. But I'm glad I don't have to."

I walked back to my desk. Started making calls.

Preston's assistant said he wasn't available. I called his office directly. Left three messages. Finally got someone who knew someone.

"Mr. Preston will see Mr. Thorne at 6 PM tonight," she said. "But only for thirty minutes."

"Done. Thank you."

I booked Adrian a flight. Sent him the details. Rearranged his entire schedule for the rest of the week.

At 2 PM, he emerged from his office. Jacket on. Briefcase in hand.

"Car's waiting downstairs," I said.

"You're incredible."

"Just doing my job."

He started toward the elevator. Stopped. Came back.

"I mean it. This morning would have broken most people. You didn't even blink."

"Neither did you."

"I threw my phone at a wall."

"But you didn't give up."

He looked at me. Really looked. "Where did you come from?"

My heart stopped. "What?"

"How did I get this lucky? Finding you?"

"Just good timing, I guess."

He smiled. Started to leave again.

The elevator dinged. Doors opened.

"Addy, wait—"

The words were out before I could stop them.

Adrian froze.

Every cell in my body went cold.

He turned around. Slowly.

"What did you call me?"

My mind raced. Play it off. Fix this. Now.

"Addy?" I forced a laugh. "Sorry. Adrian is a mouthful. Just shortening it."

He walked back toward my desk. "Nobody calls me that."

"Well, maybe they should. It's friendlier."

"Nobody's called me that since..." He stopped. His eyes narrowed. "Since college."

My pulse hammered. "Okay. Adrian then. I didn't mean—"

"How did you know that nickname?"

"I didn't know it. I just... I don't know. It slipped out. Adrian, Addy. Makes sense, right?"

He stood there. Studying me. His expression had changed. Something sharp behind his eyes now.

"Has someone been talking to you?" he asked quietly.

"What? No."

"Someone from my past? Someone who—"

"Adrian." I kept my voice steady. "I made up a nickname. That's all. I'm sorry if it bothered you."

Silence.

The elevator doors closed.

He kept staring at me.

For a long moment, he said nothing. Just watched me with those green eyes that saw too much.

Then he shook his head. "Forget it. I'm stressed. The deal has me on edge."

"Understandable."

He checked his watch. "I need to go."

"Good luck in Chicago."

He nodded. Walked to the elevator. Pressed the button.

This time when the doors opened, he got in.

He turned to face me.

Our eyes met.

The doors closed.

I sat frozen at my desk.

What did I just do?

My hands were shaking. I pressed them flat against the desk.

Addy. I'd called him Addy.

Only Aurora called him that. Only her.

I grabbed my phone. Texted Marcus.

*Emergency. Call me.*

Three dots appeared immediately.

*What happened?*

*Not over text. Call.*

My phone rang five seconds later.

"What's wrong?"

"I messed up. I called him Addy."

Silence.

"Marcus?"

"You called him what?"

"Addy. Aurora's nickname for him. It slipped out and he noticed. He asked how I knew it."

"What did you say?"

"That I made it up. That I was just shortening his name."

"Did he believe you?"

"I don't know. Maybe. He seemed suspicious but then he left for the airport."

"Okay. Okay. This is fine. It's a common nickname. Anyone could—"

"He said nobody's called him that since college. Since before Aurora."

Marcus swore. "Did he say anything else?"

"He asked if someone from his past had been talking to me."

"And?"

"I denied it. Played it off as stress from the deal."

"Good. That's good. Just... stick to that story. Don't give him any reason to dig deeper."

"What if he does?"

"Then we move to plan B."

"We don't have a plan B."

"Then we'll make one. Just... stay calm. Don't do anything else stupid."

He hung up.

I set down my phone.

The office was empty now. Everyone had left. Just me and the hum of computers.

I stood. Walked to Adrian's office. The door was still open.

His phone sat on the desk. The cracked screen caught the light.

I walked inside. Stood where he'd stood this morning. Looked out the window.

The city spread below. Thousands of people. Millions of secrets.

And I'd just exposed mine.

---

That night, I couldn't sleep.

Leo was down. The apartment was quiet. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

Addy.

Such a small word. Two syllables.

And it might have destroyed everything.

I rolled over. Checked my phone. 2:47 AM.

No messages.

Adrian was still in Chicago. Meeting with Preston. Trying to save the deal.

Not thinking about me.

Or was he?

I closed my eyes. Saw his face. The way his expression had changed when I said the name.

The suspicion in his eyes.

My hand found the ring under my shirt. Gripped it tight.

I'd been so careful. Two years of planning. Months of playing the perfect assistant.

And I'd ruined it in one careless second.

My phone buzzed.

I grabbed it.

Adrian: *Deal's done. Preston signed. Flying back tomorrow.*

I stared at the screen.

He'd saved it. Saved the deal.

My fingers typed before I could stop them.

*That's amazing. Congratulations.*

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Appeared again.

*Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you.*

Then: *Get some rest. Big day tomorrow.*

I set down the phone.

Rolled onto my back.

Stared at the ceiling.

He didn't suspect anything. He was thanking me. Telling me to rest.

Everything was fine.

So why couldn't I breathe?

Outside, sirens wailed. The city never slept.

Neither would I.

Not knowing that tomorrow, Adrian Thorne would walk back into that office.

And look at me with those suspicious eyes.

And maybe—finally—remember where he'd heard that name before.