My first day at Calvert Investments started with champagne."A tradition," Alexander explained as his executive team gathered in the conference room to welcome me. "Every new senior hire gets a toast. Don't worry, it's just one glass. We're not day-drinking.""Speak for yourself," said Marcus Chen, the head of acquisitions, raising his glass with a grin. "Welcome to the team, Lila. We've heard great things about your work."I caught Alexander's eye across the room. He gave me a subtle smile, professional but warm. We'd agreed on boundaries—no excessive PDA at work, separate meetings when possible, complete transparency on any joint projects. We were determined to prove I'd earned this position on merit, not marriage."Thank you all," I said, accepting the glass. "I'm excited to be here and looking forward to working with everyone."That's when I noticed her. A woman in her early thirties, impeccably dressed in a navy suit that probably cost more than my first car, watching me with an
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