Since Dominic called right after the workday ended, Vespera wondered if he wanted her to work overtime.


    She pulled over to the side of the road and answered. "Hello, Mr. Reid."


    "Come into my office." His voice came through, steady and slightly serious.


    "Alright." She hung up and sighed before reluctantly turning the car around. After parking again, she headed back upstairs.


    She dropped her bag off in her office, then hurried to the president''s office. Standing outside his door, she paused for a moment to steady her breathing before knocking and stepping


    inside.


    Dominic was just closing hisptop and standing up. He looked at her and said casually, "You sure were quick to clock out."


    Vespera froze. She wondered if he had seen her leave.


    She quickly dismissed the idea. His office door had been closed, and she''d even nced back to check before walking out.


    Then it hit her.


    She raised her hand and felt the heat in her face. Their offices were closed, but she''d taken her time getting to her car and even broken a sweat.


    Vespera silently groaned.


    "I had something to take care of today, so I left right on time," she said.


    She emphasized right on time to make it clear that while she left the moment work ended, she hadn''t left early.


    "Was it urgent?" Dominic asked, still casual.


    He walked over to the coat rack, took his suit jacket, and slowly slipped it on. It was a simple gesture, but sehow, he made it look refined and effortlessly elegant.


    "Of course, your business takes priority," Vespera replied with a smile.


    Dominic adjusted his sleeves, then nced back at her. "Don''t worry about me. If it''s something important, you can tell me."


    His tone was unusually gentle. When he looked at her with those warm, soft eyes, it was dangerously easy to be lost in it.


    "Mr. Reid, why don''t you go ahead and tell me what you need first," Vespera answered


    steadily, keeping herposure.


    "Mmm. You really are a professional, Ms. Gildon," Dominic said with a smile, giving a slight


    nod


    "Yeah, I knew you were trying to set me up," Vespera thought.


    His firstment had already carried a hint of passive-aggressiveness-there


    was no way he''d suddenly turn soft and caring right after that.


    The whole "Was it urgent?" and "Don''t worry about me" routine was just him testing her


    reaction.


    Dominic loved setting traps-luring people in, watching them step right into them, then slowly tightening the noose. Honestly, he''d probably be great at working in a scam call center.


    He finally exined why he''d called her back. "There''s ast-minute business g. You''reing with me.''


    With that, he picked up his phone from the desk and walked straight out. Vespera followed.


    Last-minute? Why did he agree to something that wasn''t scheduled in advance? And who was important enough to make him drop everything like this?


    Outside, Gerard was just stepping out of the assistant''s office. Upon spotting Dominic, he quickly greeted him. "Mr. Reid."


    "There''s nothing else for you today. You can go home," Dominic said, tossing the words over his shoulder as he kept walking.


    Gerard looked pleased and was about to head out until he saw Vespera trudging toward her office like her soul had left her body... only to rush back out momentster.


    "What happened?" he asked quietly.


    "I have to go with him to a business g."


    "That wasn''t on the schedule."


    "Well, now it"


    They whispered back and forth for a few seconds.


    By the elevator, Dominic stood with his back to them. When it arrived, he stepped


    in first. They followed, standing behind him.


    Vespera looked a little down. She might''ve been d to go if not for what happened at lunch. With her new identity, she could reconnect with old acquaintances or make entirely new ones.


    But today, she had something more important on her mind.


    After the initial wave of anger had passed, she hadn''t stopped thinking about the release. agreement. Back at the office, it had stayed on he mind nonstop.


    She''d more or less made up her mind, but she wanted to run it by Reba first and see what she thought about it.


    Seeing the gloom written all over her face, Gerard hesitated, then took the chance


    to ask, “Mr. Reid, how about I go to the g with you instead?"


    "I need a date. Are you a woman?" Dominic replied tly, checking the time on his watch without even looking at him.