The image of Evangeline Whitmore, soaked to the bone, shed through his mind, and a fresh wave of irritation washed over him. "Who told you to do that?"


    Soren''s sudden change in tone sent a jolt of panic through the bodyguard.


    "Mr. Fawkes, she kept trying to slip past us into the building. We knew you didn''t want to see her, and we were worried she''d seed," he stammered. "We were just trying to get her to leave."


    Soren opened his mouth to reply, but the words caught in his throat, and in the end, he said nothing.


    After the call ended, he found himself staring at Evangeline''s message again. He nced at the time. Four hours had passed.


    Had she really been waiting outside for him for four hours?


    Was it a real emergency, or did she just want to check on him? To wait that long... did that mean he still had a ce in her heart?


    He let out a breath he didn''t realize he''d been holding, his mood inexplicably lifting. Still, Soren resisted the urge to call her, setting his phone aside instead.


    The game of love wasn''t so different from the boardroom. He''d been the one pursuing her too aggressively before. Sometimes, giving the other person a little space could work wonders. Above all, he couldn''t let a woman lead him by the nose-especially not Evangeline.


    ***


    After a final downpour, the storm began to taper off, thest few drops drumming a dull rhythm against the windowpane.


    Unable to sleep, Evangeline walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed out at the rain-slicked city with a sense of calm. A momentter, her phone rang. It was Glenn Carlisle.


    She answered, and Glennunched into his usual check-in. Evangeline updated him on UME''s progress, not hesitating to share the recent hurdles they''d encountered.


    "I was too naive," she admitted. "I thought if we just made the technology essible, we could break into the low-end market. But it seems they''re fundamentally resistant to the idea that technology can improve their lives. Their unwillingness to even try makes market pration incredibly difficult."


    She continued, "There''s another option, of course—a major marketing push. But that would add a huge expense to the budget with no guarantee of a positive oue. Director Shaw actually had an idea today. He suggested that if we could find a majorpany willing to believe in us and partner on a marketing campaign, it would make things much simpler."


    Glenn listened quietly until she finished, then paused for a long moment. "And what about you?"


    "Of course, I agree with the idea," Evangeline replied with a nod.


    Glenn chuckled softly. "Evangeline, it''s after hours. Right now, I''m your friend, not your boss. I''m asking how you are doing."


    It took her a second to register the shift. She thought about Soren''s recent unreasonable behavior, but ultimately decided against bringing it up. Their rtionship was over. Knowing Soren''s personality, he wouldn''t keep bothering her after she''d pushed him away so many times. There was no point in worrying Glenn with that kind of mess.


    "I moved," she said instead, then gave him her new address and a brief description of the apartment. She was careful, however, to leave out the reason for her sudden relocation. What Soren and Poppy Yates had done was something she didn''t even want to speak about.


    She expected him to ask why she''d moved, but he just fell silent for a beat before saying calmly, "I see. Well, I''ll have toe by and visit sometime, meet your new roommate. Take care of yourself, Evangeline."


    She nodded, and after they hung up, she couldn''t shake the feeling that


    something was off about his tone. It had sounded strangely serious.