Hannah couldn''t help it. The unexpected deadpan question from Yves sent her into a fit ofughter.


    Lionel''s face darkened.


    Cora froze, realizing her mistake. She flushed with embarrassment, unable to look at Lionel. All she had been thinking about was seeing him; she hadn''t considered the implications.


    "What do you know? Homemade food is much healthier and cleaner than anything you can buy outside!" she snapped, trying to save face.


    "Oh," Yves said, his tone deceptively mild. "So you''re saying thepany cafeteria isn''t clean or nutritious?"


    "We should probably look into that,” Hannah added, ying along. "If employees get wind of it and file a formalint, it could cause some serious damage to thepany''s reputation."


    "Our cafeteria is pretty good, wouldn''t you say, Hannah?" Yves asked, turning to her.


    "It''s great. Everyone in our department loves it. The food is delicious, affordable, and I''ve seen the kitchens myself-they''re spotless. We wouldn''t have any problem passing a health inspection."


    Yves nodded, satisfied. “Employees are the backbone of apany. They deserve to be well-fed."


    "Exactly," Hannah agreed. "A well-fed army is a strong army. People need to eat well to work well."


    The two of them went back and forth,pletely ignoring Lionel and Cora.


    Lionel''s expression grew colder. He pushed the food containers away.


    "Take your things and leave," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Who let you up here?"


    ?


    "I did," Hannah said calmly. "Mr. Rosenberg, you probably aren''t aware, but she was making quite scene downstars, threatening to have the receptionists fired in your name. If I hadn''t brought her up, I imagine your reputation would have taken quite a hit."


    "I didn''t do anything wrong!" Cora shouted. "They were the ones giving


    me a hard time! I told them who


    up.


    was but they still wouldn''t let meu What was I supposed to do?


    "Shut up!" Lionel finally snapped, his voice echoing in the conference room. "Take your things and get out of here before I have security drag you out!"


    "Sir, I..."


    Hannah leaned over and whispered something to Yves. He gave Lionel and Cora a long, meaningful look, then nodded.


    "Well, since Mr. Rosenberg hasn''t had lunch yet, and his staff has so kindly delivered it, we won''t keep you. We can discuss this another time."


    Yves gave a polite nod and stood to leave. Hannah followed.


    "Hannah!"


    Lionel''s heart leaped into his throat as he watched her walk away. He shot up from his chair and rushed after her, grabbing her arm just as she reached the door.


    "I had no idea Cora wasing. If I had known, I would have never let her up here. This was all her own doing."


    Hannah pulled her arm away, a humorless smile on her face. "There''s no need to exin yourself to me, Mr. Rosenberg. If one of your employees saw this, they might get the wrong idea about our


    rtionship. Please, maintain a professional distance."


    Yves stood nearby, his hands sped behind his back, a faint smile on his face as he watched them.


    A husband and wife, forced to act like strangers in his ownpany, all because


    he hadn''t been willing to acknowledge her in the first ce. What a mess he had made.