Chapter 88
Maya's POV:
I forced a smile. "It's just some rumors, Sarah. Don't believe everything you hear."
Sarah leaned in closer, eyes bright with curiosity. "But the photos—"
"Sarah." I cut her off, pulling a file from my desk. "I need this organized by noon."
She hesitated, clearly wanting to press further. But something in my expression made her take the file and retreat to her cubicle.
I exhaled slowly, turning back to my computer screen.
My phone buzzed.
Adam: Come down at noon. I'll be waiting.
I stared at the message, then flipped the phone face-down without replying.
---
By eleven-thirty, the office had settled into a tense quiet. People were still stealing glances at me, but at least they'd stopped whispering.
Then the glass doors burst open.
Victoria Garrison stormed in, wearing leopard print and fury.
"Maya Bennett!" Her voice cracked like a whip across the open office floor.
Every head swiveled.
She marched straight toward me, stilettos clicking against the polished floor. Her face was flushed, her hands clenched into fists.
"You shameless bitch!" she shrieked.
I stood slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. "Ms. Garrison, please watch your language—"
"Don't you dare lecture me!" She jabbed a manicured finger at my face. "Hooking up with Julian wasn't enough for you? Now you're going after Adam Sterling too?"
The office went dead silent.
"Ms. Garrison, this is a workplace—"
"You're nothing but a gold digger!" Her voice rose higher. "You think Adam Sterling actually wants a used-up single mother?"
My fingernails dug into my palms.
Behind me, Sarah muttered to Mark: "Didn't Ms. Garrison invite Maya to lunch last week?"
"Yeah, what's with the sudden change?"
"Wait—did she just say something about Julian?"
Victoria's head whipped toward them. "Shut your mouths!"
"Victoria."
Julian's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
He stepped out of his office, his face carved from stone.
"This is a place of business," he said coldly. "Not a stage for your tantrums. Get out."
Victoria spun to face him. "You think you can tell me what to do? You're nothing but a bastard!"
The words hung in the air like poison.
Julian's jaw tightened. "Leave. Now."
"You don't belong here!" Victoria shrieked. "You never did! Little mistake."
Julian moved so fast I barely registered it.
The slap echoed through the entire floor.
Victoria's head snapped to the side. Her hand flew to her cheek. A red mark bloomed instantly across her perfect skin.
"You—" She staggered backward, eyes wide with shock. "You hit me?"
"You needed that," Julian said coldly. "Get out."
"I'm telling my father!" Tears streamed down Victoria's face as she backed toward the elevator. "You're finished, Julian! You hear me? Finished!"
She fled.
The elevator doors slid shut behind her.
Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.
Julian turned and walked back into his office without a word. The door clicked shut.
Sarah broke the silence first. "Holy shit."
"Did he just—"
"He absolutely did."
I pressed my fingers to my temples. My head was pounding.
---
At noon, my phone buzzed again.
Adam: Are you coming down?
I stared at the message. My finger hovered over the screen.
Adam: Maya.
Adam: I'm not leaving until you come down.
Adam: Don't make me come up there.
I closed my eyes.
Fuck.
I grabbed my purse and headed for the elevator.
---
The first-floor lobby was packed.
I stepped off the elevator and immediately understood why.
Adam Sterling stood outside the glass doors, leaning against a silver Aston Martin, hands in his pockets.
The trunk was open.
And it was filled with red roses.
I froze.
A crowd had gathered—employees on their lunch break, delivery guys, random pedestrians. Everyone was staring. Some were filming on their phones.
Adam's gaze locked onto mine through the glass.
I spun on my heel.
"Maya!"
His voice carried across the entire lobby.
I kept walking.
Footsteps behind me. Fast.
Then a warm hand closed around my wrist.
"Going somewhere?" Adam's voice was low, amused.
I yanked my arm. He didn't let go.
"Let me go," I hissed, hyperaware of the hundred pairs of eyes on us.
"Not a chance." He leaned down, lips brushing my ear. "If you keep fighting me, I'm going to kiss you right here in front of everyone."
My entire body went rigid.
He smirked. Bastard.
"Ethan said women like flowers," Adam continued. "Do you like them, Maya? If you don't, I can bring something different tomorrow."
"Adam—"
"Come on." He tugged me gently toward the doors. "Let's go."
---
Victoria's POV:
I stood frozen on the sidewalk, watching the Aston Martin disappear around the corner.
My cheek still burned where Julian had struck me.
I'd gone straight to Father's office. Burst in, tears streaming, ready to demand justice.
He'd barely looked up from his desk.
"He hit me!" I'd sobbed. "Julian hit me in front of everyone!"
His expression had been ice. "What did you say to provoke him?"
"I—what?"
"Victoria." He set down his pen. "I'm trying to secure a partnership with Sterling Global. Do you have any idea how much money is on the line?"
"But—"
"Julian is essential to that deal. And Maya Bennett is his assistant. If you jeopardize this merger because you can't control your jealousy, you will regret it."
I'd fled his office in humiliation.
And now this.
I watched Adam's car vanish, my nails digging into my palms.
Garrison employees were still gathered on the sidewalk, whispering excitedly.
"Did you see that?"
"Mr. Sterling came all the way here just to pick up Maya."
"Those roses must've cost a fortune."
"I heard he doesn't care that she has a kid."
"God, she's so lucky."
"Right? What did she do in a past life to deserve this?"
My vision blurred with rage.
What do they all see in her?
A woman with a child. A nobody. And yet Julian defended her, Adam pursued her—
"Ms. Garrison?"
I whirled around.
A woman stood there, face swollen and bruised, eyes gleaming with something unhinged.
"Who the hell are you?"
She touched her face gingerly, wincing. "Maya Bennett did this to me."
"So?" My eyes narrowed. "If you're here to whine—"
"I'm here to offer you a partnership." Her smile was sharp and wrong. "You want Maya gone, don't you?"
My pulse quickened. But something about this woman set off every alarm bell in my head.
She looked... unbalanced. Dangerous.
"I don't need help dealing with Maya," I said coldly. "I can handle her myself."
I turned toward my car.
"You sure about that?" she called after me. "Because from where I'm standing, she just drove off with the man you want."
My hand froze on the car door handle.
She pulled out a scrap of paper and pressed it into my palm. "My number. When you're ready to stop pretending you're in control, call me."
I tossed the number onto the passenger seat carelessly and slid into my McLaren.
Behind me, Claire stood alone on the sidewalk.
And then she started laughing.
High and shrill.