Chapter 58 Unexpected Encounters
Briar's POV
The fever had broken by morning, leaving me hollow and exhausted but functional enough to drag myself back to the office.
Jessica from the design department was waiting in my office when I arrived, a portfolio case tucked under her arm. She laid out the packaging designs for our Moonlight Series across my desk, each mockup showing delicate botanical illustrations against deep navy backgrounds dotted with silver accents meant to evoke stars.
I studied them carefully, running my fingers along the edges of the printed samples. The technical execution was flawless. The color palette was sophisticated. The typography was clean and elegant. But something fundamental was missing, some spark that would make these packages reach out and grab someone browsing a crowded shelf.
"The overall quality meets our standards," I said, setting down the last sample, "but it lacks impact. We're marketing herbal blends made from plants harvested under the full moon. These designs don't convey that connection between moonlight and nature, that spiritual resonance our customers crave. They miss the instinctive pull our target demographic should feel."
Jessica's face fell slightly but she nodded, already making notes on her tablet. "I can work on revisions that emphasize those elements more strongly."
"Before you go," I added, "confirm that all design files are stored on our secure internal server only. No cloud backups, no personal devices. This stays locked down until launch."
"Already done," she assured me, gathering the samples. "Everything's encrypted and access-restricted."
After she left, I checked my schedule and saw Eric had requested my presence in the research lab for final approval on the new tea formulations. I grabbed my tablet and headed downstairs.
The lab smelled like dried herbs and citrus when I walked in. Eric was hunched over a workstation covered in beakers and sample containers, too focused to notice me until I cleared my throat. Owen lounged against a counter nearby, clearly bored with whatever meticulous process Eric was running.
"Finally," Eric said without looking up, "I need you to review the primary and secondary blend formulations before we move to production testing."
He handed me a tablet loaded with detailed composition data, pH levels, extraction rates, and projected shelf stability. I scrolled through the information while sampling the prepared tea varieties he'd lined up, making notes on flavor profiles and suggested adjustments to the ratios. Eric listened to my feedback with the same serious focus he brought to everything, occasionally asking clarifying questions and recording my responses with precise efficiency.
Owen, clearly trying to lighten the oppressive laboratory atmosphere, started making jokes about Eric's workaholic tendencies. "You know there are these things called weekends? Days off? The concept of work-life balance?"
"Balance is for people who aren't trying to revolutionize an industry," Eric muttered, adjusting the temperature on a heating element.
"You're going to turn into a dried herb yourself at this rate," Owen shot back, then suddenly his expression shifted from playful to concerned as his gaze landed on my face. "Briar, what happened to your eyes? They're all red and swollen. Did someone hurt you?"
The unexpected gentleness in his voice hit something tender inside me that I'd been carefully protecting since last night. But I forced my expression into something neutral. "Nothing happened. Just didn't sleep well last night."
Owen didn't look convinced but he didn't push. Eric glanced up briefly, his analytical gaze taking in my appearance before returning to his work without comment, though I noticed him frowning slightly as he made adjustments to one of the formulations.
I finished reviewing the data and gave Eric my final notes, then escaped back to my office where I could hide behind emails and spreadsheets until the day ended. Work kept me busy enough that I didn't check my phone until well after dark, when the building had emptied out and I was alone with quarterly projections and supply chain logistics.
It was past ten when I finally called Rowan, partly because I needed to hear a friendly voice. She answered on the second ring.
"I was just about to call you," she said, and I could hear the engine noise in the background suggesting she was driving. "I saw Sienna leaving Apex Bio-Solutions with some guy about an hour ago."
I rubbed my eyes, too tired to care much about Sienna's personal life. "I don't really care what she does."
"Right, okay," Rowan said, and I heard the distinct click of a turn signal. "So I guess you don't want to know that the guy she was with is the same drunk asshole who was hanging around Lucian at the bar that night."
That got my attention. I sat up straighter, my exhaustion temporarily forgotten. "What?"
"Yeah, I thought that might interest you," Rowan continued, sounding pleased with herself. "Main reason I'm calling is because she came out of Apex specifically, and I figured that might be important intel for you. But if you don't care then never mind."
"Wait," I said quickly, already grabbing my bag and heading for the elevator. "That man is Kai Stone, Apex's COO. Can you tell me where they went?"
Rowan laughed. "See, I knew this was juicy. Sienna's chasing my brother while going out with other guys? I definitely want to see what she's up to."
She sent me a location pin and I forwarded it to my driver. The car wound through downtown Seattle toward one of the city's busiest commercial districts, finally stopping outside a place called Neon Nights.
I stared at the entrance, trying to figure out what possible business Sienna and Kai could have at a trendy nightclub. My phone buzzed with a message from Rowan: [They went up to the second floor. Private rooms.]
I found Rowan waiting near the stairs, and she led me up to the second level where private rooms lined a hallway. The room she indicated had its door slightly ajar, and through the gap I could see an expensive setup with a pool table, private bar, and high-end audio equipment. Kai was leaning over the pool table while Sienna attempted a shot that went wildly off course.
"You said you were good at this," Kai complained, retrieving the cue ball. "I feel completely scammed right now."
Sienna pouted in a way that made me want to roll my eyes. "I never said I was good. I said I wanted to learn." She moved closer to him with obvious intent. "Actually, I was hoping you could teach me how to play that game Kieran's been obsessed with lately. Moonlight Hunter? I want to have something to talk to him about."
Rowan couldn't contain herself. "With your brain? You'll never catch up to my brother."
Sienna's head whipped around and her expression went from flirtatious to furious when she saw me standing there. "Are you seriously following me now? What's your problem?"
I looked at her, really looked at her, and felt disappointment settle in my chest. I'd been treating Sienna as a potential threat, someone calculating enough to be dangerous. But watching her desperately manufacture common interests to attract Kieran's attention, I realized I'd overestimated her.
"My mistake," I said quietly, already turning to leave. "I thought you might actually be interesting."
Rowan, however, was now distracted by the gaming setup visible in the corner of the room. "Wait, is that the new VR system? This place has seriously high-end equipment for a nightclub."
"Equipment like this doesn't come cheap," I observed, glancing around at the quality of everything in the space. "The rental fee for these private rooms must be astronomical."
I headed toward the stairs, ready to go home and finally get some actual sleep, when Kai's voice rang out behind us. "Boss! You've got guests leaving already! Come out here and see them off properly!"
I froze. Boss?
A door at the far end of the hallway opened, the one that clearly led to a third floor I hadn't known existed. Footsteps descended the stairs, unhurried and confident, and I felt my heart start hammering before I even turned around.
Gray house slippers. Tailored dark pants. Cream-colored shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. And there, just visible at the open collar, that distinctive mole below his collarbone.
Lucian.
I started walking toward the exit immediately, my only thought to get out before this situation became even more complicated. But his voice stopped me as effectively as a hand on my shoulder.
"Running away that fast?"
My feet stopped moving even though every instinct screamed at me to keep going. I gripped the doorframe for support, keeping my back to him, refusing to turn around.