I smiled and nodded at Carla as I passed her desk and sank into my seat like nothing had shifted.
But something had. I could feel it.
There was a new crack between Logan and me now, hairline and fragile, but real. I wasn’t sure who had placed it there—Reid, Chloe or Logan himself–but I knew better than to ignore it.
The afternoon passed in paperwork and blissful silence. I buried myself in numbers, double–checking Pack reports and comparing fiscal quarters like they gave me some solid ground to stand on.
Just before lunch, an internal invoice hit my inbox.
I scanned it automatically–logistics for a supply shipment, marked urgent. But something felt off. The totals didn’t align with the quantities. And the header listed me as the submitter, but I hadn’t filed anything for that department in days.
My stomach dropped.
I pulled the original requisition from our records. The numbers didn’t match. The submission metadata listed Carla as the last person to open the document before it was sent..
And yet, here it was–my name, my signature, neatly attached to an error that could’ve cost us thousands. The whole situation gave me déjà vu.
I didn’t confront her. Not yet.
Instead, I fixed the mistake, forwarded the corrected version to the department head, and quietly moved the falsified draft into a private folder I’d started keeping with the Iris investigation. Just in case.
I could have called her out. Could have marched across the office and laid the evidence on her desk. But part of me wanted to know how far she’d go.
How far they would go. Assuming Iris was still pulling the strings here.
A shadow passed the glass beside me, and then Julian appeared, leaning against the edge of my cubicle with a coffee in hand.
“You looked like you needed this,” he said, offering the mug with a small, careful smile.
I hesitated a second too long before taking it.
“Thanks,” I said. My voice was even. Friendly enough to pass. Neutral enough not to invite questions.
He slid into the visitor chair beside my desk without asking, watching me over the rim of his own drink. “Rough morning?”
“You could say that.”
He nodded like he understood and said, “You handled it well. The invoice, I mean. Most people wouldn’t have caught it.”
I paused, keeping my expression still. “Word travels fast.”
He shrugged. “Carla’s not as subtle as she thinks. And some of us pay attention.” His gaze held mine for a second too long, like he was waiting to see if I’d blink first. I didn’t. It was a battle of dominance and I was born of Alphas.
“I appreciate that,” I said, because I couldn’t say what I was actually thinking. That everyone seemed to be against me in this place.
Julian’s eyes flicked to the closed door of Logan’s office, then back to me. “If you ever need a second set of eyes on anything… you can always ask.”
I gave him a grateful smile, just shy of warm. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Trust was earned and I wasn’t sure if I could trust Julian yet, based on the track record of assistants I’ve met.
1/2
Chapter 69
+25 BONUS
He left a moment later, slipping away like he’d only stopped by on whim. But I knew better. Everyone in this building had a reason for where they stood. For who they watched.
I sipped the coffee after he left. It was exactly how I liked it. Which only made me trust it less.
At the end of the day, I made a note in my files beside Julian’s name too. Nothing solid, just a question mark.
32
