Emma’s morning started with an email that made her coffee taste a little sweeter. It was one of those bland HR notifications that being the manager gave her the opportunity to read, the kind nobody read past the first line unless it was about a salary increase or an unexpected holiday.This one read; “Matthew Hines Young – Department Transfer Effective Immediately.”No explanation, no fanfare. Just an administrative blip in the company records.Emma had to stop herself from smiling at her desk. She wasn’t petty. Mostly. But after weeks of his smug looks, passive-aggressive “advice,” and very deliberate interruptions, this was as close to a win as she’d had in the office lately. It didn’t matter too much to her that he apologized as much as it mattered that she wasn’t going to see him again for a while.Before she could dwell on it, Lily dropped into the chair beside her desk like she was arriving for an urgent broadcast.“Did you hear?” Lily whispered, leaning forward, eyes bright
This was the third time that Matthew was swiping away the contents of his desk that week. All the strange feelings that had arisen in him when he was talking to Emma were suddenly replaced with overwhelming hatred for Ross. The man had sent him a notice for his transfer.Of all places, it had to be England. Ross knew just how much Matthew hated England. Matthew remembered telling him very vividly about the enemies he had made in England and how they liked to make his life hell, and Ross had decided to transfer him there either way?He would never let this stand.He stomped out of his office and went to the top floor. Ross’ secretary didn’t let him through.“He’s currently busy sir”, the woman said, stern faced like her aggravating boss. Matthew didn’t even have the time to use his disarming smile on her and just walked straight into the office, ignoring the woman calling after him.“Ross, what the fuck do you mean by this?” he said as he banged open the door. Ross didn’t even look
Emma’s life had been relatively smooth since she pinned down the Algerian project two weeks ago. She’d been made the official General Manager of Operations of the company, and Eliana had taken her along with her on a spa date. Meredith and Cooper still regularly came to bother her in her office, but they were a welcome crowd, unlike certain people with the surname Young. Vanessa had been scolded terribly by Ross, enough for her to shed all her innocence with me and threaten me to my face, talking about how she had friends in high places. Emma wasn’t even the slightest bit scared. Based on her conversation with Mr. Bekkali, and her role as liaison with Mr. Desmond, not to speak of the Dales, she also had friends in high places. The most she had to worry about was being shot in her sleep, and even then, her freakish healing guaranteed she wouldn’t die. She went to the doctor two weeks ago. They hadn’t found anything, all they could say was that she was fit as a fiddle. She knew she
Food? What food?”, Emma asked, confusion painting her entire face.The man’s laughter was loud and booming, like she’d just told the best joke in the world. “Ah, you are teasing me already! Just like last time.”“Last time?” she asked slowly.“Yes, yes! The conference in Oran, four years ago! You were, how do you say, a storm in the negotiations. I still tell people about you!”Emma’s mind scrambled. Four years ago, she was… well, she didn’t know where she was. Probably not sipping mint tea in Algeria making stormy negotiations. “I think you might be mistaking me for someone else”, she said plain and clear.But he just waved it off. “Pah! You changed your name, not your face or voice. No matter. I know my friends when I see them.”Friends. Right. She was friends with a billionaire from Algeria? Before she could press further, he leaned back in his chair, beaming. “You tell me where you want us, and we will come. Anywhere. Any terms you set, we will discuss.”That… was not how these m
“I’m gonna kill Vanessa,” Emma said flatly.Ross’s thumbs stilled against her arms. His brows twitched up like he was weighing whether to take her seriously. "Tempting,” he said, voice low. “But illegal. Probably. Even for her.”She tried not to smile, failed, and shoved him back a step. “Go. I have work to do.”Ross was still standing too close, glancing at the wet shirt on her desk like it had personally offended him. “I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re fine.”“I’m fine.”“You were just attacked by a witch holding scalding coffee.”She raised a brow. “Do you hear yourself?”Ross’s mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but wasn’t giving her the satisfaction. “It’s not funny.”“It’s a little funny.”“It’s not funny when the person you-” He stopped himself, jaw flexing. “-when an employee gets hurt in my building.”“Countless employees get hurt,” she said dryly, trying to suppress the blood rushing to her head at his slip. She couldn’t let him get the satisfaction of seeing her bl
Emma didn’t look up immediately. “Lily?”“Not quite,” came a smooth, too-bright voice.Ross straightened from the desk, and Emma finally glanced over. Vanessa stood in the doorway, hair perfect, her smile brighter than any fluorescent light. She was holding two cardboard coffee trays, one in each hand, like some benevolent caffeine fairy. The sight alone put Emma’s guard up. The brother-sister pair never had something good in mind whenever they decided to bring coffee.“Oh, perfect, I didn’t miscalculate,” Vanessa said, eyes darting to Ross. She gave him a smile that was just on the sunny side of polite, then looked back at Emma. “I thought I’d bring peace offerings. Matthew… regrets the misunderstanding.”Emma’s brows arched. The Matthew that just got off the call with her didn’t sound like he regretted anything. “The misunderstanding where he broke into my office?”Vanessa laughed, it was light, airy, and completely fake. “Boys will be boys.”Ross’s jaw flexed. She swept in befor