<b>Chapter </b>76


    He’d once told her that if she stuck with him, she’d never have to ve away in the corporate grind again. Her days would be filled with


    shopping sprees and weekend getaways–her only responsibility would be keeping him entertained.


    He promised her a limitless ck card, hers <i>to </i>use as she pleased.


    There’d be a new house, a luxury car, even a private jet if she wanted.


    But Noreen never wavered. She turned him down with polite firmness, careful not to burn any bridges.


    Mr. Selwyn, though disappointed, never pushed the issue.


    Still, he couldn’t help himself–whenever business brought them together, he always tried to find some advantage.


    “Mr. Harcourt really knows how to pick his team,” Selwyn was saying now, sidling closer to Noreen. “Not only is his assistant beautiful, she’s brilliant too. If I had someone like Secretary Gilmore backing me up, I might be running a bigger operation than Harcourt himself!”


    “Mr. Selwyn, you’re giving me too much credit,” Noreen responded smoothly, stepping aside as she refilled his ss. “I’m just a secretary. Everything Mr. Harcourt’s achieved, he’s earned on his own.”


    “You’re too modest, Secretary Gilmore! Everyone knows half of Aurelion Group’s most profitable deals have your fingerprints all over them. Keeping you as just a secretary is a waste,” Selwyn insisted, inching even closer.


    Noreen used the excuse of offering a toast to subtly put space between them. “To your health, Mr. Selwyn.”


    Across the room, Bianca watched the exchange with a raised brow. She nudged Ruby Wilder beside her. “Who’s the guy talking to Secretary Gilmore?”


    Ruby nced over. “That’s Mr. Selwyn from Monarch Capital. They’ve


    been making wavestely–not quite as big as Aurelion Group, but close.” Bianca’s eyes lit up with interest, and she headed straight toward them.


    Just as Noreen was steering the conversation back to business, Selwyn perked up. “I’ve heard about this gaming project you mentioned, but I’ve never managed to connect with the people in charge. If you wouldn’t mind making an introduction, Secretary Gilmore…well, there’s plenty of profit to go around!”


    Before Noreen could respond, Bianca cut in. “Mr. Selwyn, hello–I’m Bianca Lowell, Director of Investment Division III at Aurelion Group. If you’d like to talk about projects, you can discuss them with me.”


    Selwyn didn’t recognize her, but seeing her striking features, he broke into a broad grin. “I had no idea Aurelion Group’s investment directors were this beautiful. How did I miss that?”


    “I just started recently,” Bianca replied, tossing her hair back. Then, turning to Noreen, she said, “Secretary Gilmore, fetch me a drink.”


    It wasn’t so much a request as an order, treating Noreen like an errand girl.


    Noreen didn’t bother to argue. As she handed Bianca the drink, she lowered her voice. “Be careful with Mr. Selwyn. He has a reputation.”


    Bianca took the ss, thinking Noreen was just trying to guard her own connections. She clinked sses with Selwyn and said, “Mr. Selwyn, if it’s about the project, you’ll want to speak with me. Secretary Gilmore is only handling administrative tasks now–she doesn’t have authority over


    deals.”


    Well, that was one way to throw someone under the bus.


    Noreen managed not to roll her eyes. She’d done her part by warning Bianca, and Bianca was an adult–she could make her own choices. With that, Noreen went back to her own business.


    It didn’t take long for Selwyn to whisk Bianca away, supposedly to discuss


    the project in private.


    Later, once Seth had sobered up, Jude found him and asked if he’d seen Bianca–she’d vanished from the party.


    Seth scanned the room but didn’t see her, so he turned to Ruby Wilder.


    Ruby shrugged. “You might want to ask Secretary Gilmore. She probably knows where Director Lowell went.”


    Seth tracked down Noreen, his tone usatory from the start. “Secretary Gilmore, where’s Bianca?”


    14:29