LOGIN"Then figure out how to fix it without starting a bar fight in Le Monde!" Victoria snapped, though her own eyes kept darting back to Mike, her heart doing a panicked, uncomfortable flip every time he spun Jane slowly under the dim golden lights.The classic jazz piece faded into a softer, even more intimate melody. Jane stayed right where she was—her cheek resting lightly on Mike's shoulder, her hand resting on his tailored jacket, looking every bit like a woman swept off her feet."How are we doing?" Jane murmured softly, her gray eyes flickering slightly toward the darkened VIP corner.Mike leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he let out a low, amused rumble. "If William’s glare was an actual weapon, I would be disintegrating into dust right now. But more importantly... Victoria hasn't touched her wine in ten minutes. She's staring at my hand on your back like she wants to sever it with a butter knife."Jane couldn't help the soft, genuine laugh that bubbled up in
"I have to confess a dark secret to you, Miss Pascual," Mike whispered softly, leaning in close enough that his warm breath brushed her ear—a position he knew from Victoria's precise text updates would be driving William into a bloodthirsty frenzy in the shadows."Call me Jane," she said, a small, genuine smile curving her lips."Okay, Jane," Mike purred, his British accent dripping like honey. "Victoria was my first love. My absolute biggest crush since our college days in England."Jane’s gray eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Really? Victoria?""Oh, absolutely," Mike sighed, placing a dramatic hand over his heart. "I was completely head over heels. But she looked at me like I was an overprotective older brother. And William, being the unbearable prick he is, figured it out and teased me endlessly. So, naturally, I made it my life’s mission to make his existence a living hell. I flirted with his dates, competed for his acquisitions, and turned us into bitter corporate rivals. All o
Thirty minutes later, Jane was crammed into the back of a taxi with Emma and Julia, speeding toward Soho. The sheer, absurd chaotic momentum of her friends was the only thing keeping the massive dam of her tears from bursting."Okay, listen to me," Emma said, holding up a sleek black hanger in a high-end boutique twenty minutes later. "You are going into enemy territory—meaning Le Monde—and you need to look like an absolute goddess.""She needs the backless emerald silk," Julia insisted, hauling a stunning, body-skimming cocktail dress off the rack. "It screams 'I am brilliant, unbothered, and completely out of your league.'"Jane looked at her reflection in the boutique mirror. Her eyes were still dry, held back by sheer force of will, but her heart was beating a slow, painful rhythm against her ribs. She took the emerald dress into the fitting room.When she stepped out, both Emma and Julia let out loud, synchronized gasps, clutching each other's arms in awe.The dress draped over he
Jane blinked, staring at the screen in pure, unadulterated shock.Julia, who had zero concept of personal space, unashamedly peeked over Jane’s shoulder, her jaw instantly dropping to the floor. "Wait... WHAT?!""What? What is it?!" Emma squeaked, practically diving across the table to see."Did Mr. Reynold’s own sister just text you to matchmake you with the famous Brit?!" Julia shrieked, her voice pitching so high two accountants at the next table turned around. "Michael Cavill?! The British CEO billionaire?!"Allan’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, a dreamy, awe-struck sigh escaping his lips. "Oh my god. Mike Cavill? His voice is like warm honey pouring over velvet. Jane, if you don't go, I am going in a wig."
Every instinct in his body screamed at him to snatch the phone right out of her hand, but Jane smoothly turned her back to him, tucking her hair behind her ear as she continued chatting in hushed, secretive tones.Frustrated, dark, and dangerously close to losing his mind, William yanked his personal phone out of his pocket as it buzzed with an incoming text.[Victoria: Just spoke to Mike! He landed in LA yesterday and is flying into Manhattan as we speak. I sent him Jane’s contact info. You’re welcome, little brother! xoxo]"Damn it! Damn it!" William swore under his breath, his eyes turning a lethal, stormy blue.Mike. Of all the people in the world, it had to be Michael Cavill.The history was a complete nightmare. Mike wasn't just some random billionaire; he was William’s best friend back at Oxford. He had spent two solid years pining after Victoria, only for Victoria to aggressively friend-zone him into an honorary brother. Out of sheer, chaotic spite, Mike spent the next decade
"Office of Mr. Reynold, Jane speaking," her voice came through the line—smooth, cold, and entirely devoid of life. "How may I assist you, sir?"William leaned back against the leather seat of his sedan, his chest heaving as he closed his eyes, fighting the overwhelming urge to drive back to the tower and pull her into his arms right then and there."Jane," William rasped, his baritone thick with an uncontrolled, raw edge he couldn't hide. "Cancel the gala."Jane’s voice faltered for a fraction of a second, the sudden break in her composure so quiet William almost missed it over the static of the line. But almost as quickly, her wall snapped back up, impenetrable and freezing."Sir, it cannot be canceled," Jane said, her tone flattening out into that terrifying, nonchalant efficiency."Everything is set. The finance department has already approved the non-refundable deposit for the grand ballroom, the media outlets have locked in their exclusive slots, and both PR and HR have aligned







