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LUNA POV

"Come on, you can make it."

I gave myself a pep talk in front of the mirror. Today was make-or-break— I had to deliver a presentation to a high-profile client. Nail this partnership, and our company would see profits soar; more importantly, I’d earn enough for my younger sister’s college tuition.

I wasn’t the only one on edge. Our small marketing firm was still finding its feet, and landing the Callaghan contract would put us on the map, opening doors we’d only dreamed of. The stakes were high: if Cade Callaghan shot down our pitch, we’d lose more than just a big deal—we’d risk the future of the whole team.

You’ve got this, Luna. Just push through.

I straightened my blazer one last time in the full-length mirror before heading out.

I stepped out feeling confident, handbag tucked securely under my arm. To avoid being worn out by the packed subway, I opted for a taxi instead.

The driver navigated Los Angeles’ bustling streets, but luck wasn’t on my side—we hit gridlock. Cars inched forward barely an inch every ten minutes, and panic started to creep in. While we waited, I pulled out my laptop to put the final touches on the presentation slides.

"We’re here, miss," the driver called out. I paid up and hurried out, already running behind schedule.

As if being late wasn’t bad enough, I collided with someone hard, sending my laptop crashing to the ground.

"Oh no! Oh no!" I cried out, dropping to my knees to pick up the damaged device.

I pressed the power button, but the screen stayed dark. Everything—all our hard work, every slide we’d crafted—was stored on that laptop. Without it, the presentation would have to be delayed, maybe even canceled entirely.

"What a jerk!" I snapped, marching forward to grab the stranger who’d bumped into me. He paused, adjusted his gaze, and turned to face me.

In that instant, I was struck by his appearance: short jet-black hair, amber almond-shaped eyes, thick brows, a sharp nose, and a defined jawline—features that came together like a work of art.

Good grief. His broad shoulders filled out a sleek black suit, and he carried himself with a mix of power and elegance that was impossible to ignore.

Before I could collect my thoughts, a large man in sunglasses grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind my back. I struggled against his grip, shouting, "Let go of me!"

The hold only loosened when the handsome stranger shot the man a brief look.

The stranger stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression cold and unreadable. When his eyes met mine, a shiver ran down my spine.

"You have a problem?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

"You broke my laptop and tried to walk away without a word?" My eyes widened as I forced myself to stand my ground.

He let out a quiet breath, glancing at the broken device before pulling out some cash and holding it out to me. "Buy a new one. That should cover it."

His arrogant tone made my blood boil. I threw the money back at him. "I don’t want your money! Do you have any idea how much this means to me?"

His face didn’t flicker. Instead, he pulled out a checkbook and pen, scribbled his name across a sheet, and offered it to me with one hand. I glanced at the amount—$10,000. Does he really think money solves everything?

"Enough?" he asked.

"Put that away, Mr. Arrogant!" I shot back. "The least you can do is apologize first—don’t you know any manners?"

With that, I tore the check in half and let the pieces fall to the ground ...and tried to push it back into his hand, but two large men in sunglasses immediately grabbed my arms and lifted me clean off the ground. What in the world is happening?

The arrogant man kept his expression ice-cold as he turned to leave. Furious, I swung my dangling left leg and kicked him hard in the hip—leaving a muddy footprint on his crisp black pants.

"Bastard!" I shouted. He spun around, his eyes flashing with a glare sharp enough to cut glass, before turning and walking away without another word.

"Let go of me!" I yelled, twisting free from their grip. Glancing at my watch and seeing how late I was, I rushed toward the elevator.

I hurried to the office, where my colleagues swarmed me the moment I stepped in.

"Luna, what took you so long?" Gracie asked as we headed toward the presentation room together.

"Something came up," I mumbled, setting my laptop on the table and plugging in the charger. To my relief, the screen flickered to life.

"Is Luna here?" Our boss called out as she entered the room.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied. She was at my side in an instant.

"Why were you late? Did you want us to lose this contract?" she demanded, her voice tight with impatience.

"No, I just had a run-in with someone," I said.

"I don’t care about your troubles—all that matters is you give this presentation everything you’ve got. We have to win this contract; it’s the biggest deal our firm has ever pursued. No mistakes allowed!" She paused, and we all nodded.

"Did you pull up his profile, Gracie? To sell our ad concepts, we need to show him we understand who he is," she asked.

"I tried searching online, but there’s almost nothing there," Gracie answered. "He’s a billionaire, that’s all we know—it’s like he’s deliberately keeping his life private."

"Is that all you could find? I specifically told you to dig deeper!" our boss snapped.

"But I—"

"Enough! You’re all going to give me wrinkles before I turn fifty. I need to take a break. Luna, you’re in charge," she said, then stormed out.

"You’re all going to give me wrinkles before I turn fifty," Gracie mimicked under her breath as she walked away.

"She says that like she’s not turning forty-nine this year," Michael added with a grin.

"Speak for yourself—you’ll be so wrinkled no guy will want to marry you!" Gracie shot back, making me laugh despite everything.

Our boss, Rose Brighton, was tough and demanding—but she paid well, and for all her nagging, she could be surprisingly playful with us too.

"Are you ready for the final segment of the presentation?" Michael asked.

"The dance part?" I said.

"Yeah—we agreed it’s key to impressing him," Gracie chimed in.

"Of course. I put that section together myself, so I’ll be doing the performance," I confirmed.

"Guys! Guys! They’re here!" Mary, our receptionist, burst in breathlessly.

Gracie and Michael headed out to greet the guests while I finished setting up the room. A loose cord lay on the floor; as I bent to fix it, I heard Gracie’s voice guiding someone inside.

"Please come in, sir?" she said.

"This better be worth my while."

The voice sent a jolt through me—I knew I’d heard it somewhere before.

"This is Luna Reyes, our keynote speaker today," Gracie introduced me to the clients.

I stood up slowly, then froze in shock.

The man standing before me was the same arrogant stranger from earlier.