McNeil hung up on Victoria for the fourth time that morning.


    Ever since their falling out, the two hadn''t spoken privately-not a word. Victoria never reached out first, and McNeil couldn''t have cared less. Both were simply waiting for Maynard to deliver the divorce papers to city hall; once the documents were signed, they''d go their separate ways.


    But now Victoria was desperate. If she didn''t find McNeil and convince him to help Ailie, there was a real chance Ailie would be fired from Quantum Core Technologies.


    Victoria technically owned twopanies-EmilyTech Solutions and V&S Group —but it wasn''t time to let Ailie know about any of that. With no other options, she told her boss George she had a family emergency and hailed a cab straight to McNeil''spany, Vertex Dynamics.


    The receptionist at Vertex recognized her immediately. Last time, Victoria had arrived with Curtis and taken the executive elevator reserved for McNeil himself. So today, when she walked in, the receptionist quickly greeted her and offered to escort her upstairs.


    "Ms. Turner, right this way."


    Mr. Langford the name everyone used for McNeil-had given instructions: any executives from Quantum Core Technologies were to be shown directly up to his floor, no need to check with him first.


    Victoria had no trouble reaching McNeil''s office.


    He was in the middle of a meeting when she arrived. Ignoring the startled secretary''s protests, Victoria pushed the door open without hesitation.


    "McNeil. I need to talk to you."


    The twopany shareholders he''d been meeting with exchanged surprised nces—no one ever addressed Mr. Langford by his first name, let alone a woman storming in like this.


    The secretary hurried in, panic written all over her face.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Langford, I''ll have her escorted out right away."


    Interrupting a meeting with the CEO was no small offense; the secretary knew she''d be in serious trouble for this.


    The two shareholders, seeing McNeil''s silence, guessed Victoria must be someone important. Sensing the tension, they stood and made for the door.


    "Out. And close the door behind you," McNeil said, his tone unruffled.


    He looked at Victoria with an expression that betrayed not the slightest hint of surprise.


    The secretary didn''t think for a moment that McNeil was talking to Victoria. But hearing such a direct order-one she''d never heard before-she froze, unsure.


    McNeil''s office was always open, an unwritten rule. If female employees ever came to see him, they always came in groups of three or more. Even special clients were entertained in the lounge, never alone in his office.


    She wondered if she''d misheard, right up until McNeil spoke again: "Are you waiting for me to say it twice?"


    That snapped her out of it. She quickly left and, with unusual care, closed the office door behind her.


    She couldn''t help but notice the electric blinds slowly lowering, sealing the room in near-total privacy. At this point, if Mars and Venus collided outside, she wouldn''t have been more surprised.


    "What''s going on? Mr. Langford''s office-door closed, blinds down," one of the more gossipy employees whispered, craning their neck out of a nearby cubicle.


    "No idea. I think that''s a manager from Quantum Core Technologies in there. She''s a real powerhouse-there were even rumors she had something going on with their deputy CEO. Gorgeous, apparently, and brilliant too. I heard that blockbuster game Mr. Langford invested millions inst quarter? That was her project-Ms. Turner. Word is, when they couldn''t agree on the price, she sabotaged the game herself, and all those millions went up in smoke."


    The Vertex Dynamics staff gossiped in hushed tones.


    "This woman''s something else. Even when Miss Violet, Mr. Langford''s girlfriend,


    visits, he never closes the door and sits alone with her like this."


    A few employees huddled together, faces full of knowing mischief.


    "What do you think they''re doing in there?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous," one of them scoffed. "Mr. Langford''s not that kind of man."


    Meanwhile, inside the office, Victoria couldn''t help but notice some of McNeil''s subtle gestures, but she didn''t have the patience to analyze them now.


    "It was you who told Mr. Garcia to fire Ailie, wasn''t it?" she demanded.


    No one understood the coded games of the corporate world better than Victoria. Curtis had dressed it up as a "leave of absence," but everyone knew it was a polite way to fire someone. By the time Ailie''s month off was up, someone else would be sitting at her desk.


    McNeil lounged on the leather sofa, his gaze cool as he watched Victoria.


    "Is it really true that we have nothing to talk about unless it''s about someone else?" he asked, his handsome featuresposed, as if her sudden intrusion didn''t bother him in the slightest.


    Victoria''s eyes were icy. "Do you think there''s anything left between us to talk about?"


    She was here for Ailie, and she wasn''t about to get sidetracked.


    "You and Ailie are close," McNeil said, cutting straight to the chase.


    As he spoke, he shrugged off his jacket, then unbuttoned his dress shirt at the cor with practiced ease, revealing a glimpse of well-toned skin beneath the open ck shirt. Even with his suit jacket gone, he still looked every bit the impably groomed executive, though now a little more rxed, a little more rakish. A few stray locks of hair fell across his forehead as he sank into the long sofa, legs crossed, looking almost too casual.


    "She''s helped me," Victoria replied without hesitation.