Page 89 of Ruled By Rivalry

Just to tell him what direction to go in for Ryan’s look. That’s all. Obviously.

So my colleagues wouldn’t think I’d completely lost it weeks into my internship, when I heard voices around a corner, I slowed down. And hand on my heart, I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Have you seen Maeve Peterson’s design?”

Who could resist an opportunity like this, though? One peek around the corner, and I knew I was listening to Melissa from textiles and Ronnie, whom I’d shared a few meetings with. Melissa had asked, and I hid back around the corner in sync with Ronnie’s enthusiastic nod.

“The pink one? I liked it!” Figured, seeing as The New Romantics Annual theme had been her idea, and that dress had been the embodiment of romance, with its ruffles and color. My heart soared, and my stomach warmed with pride.

I’d already been flying high from Camila’s compliment, and this was shooting me straight into orbit.

“I know, right?” Mellisa agreed. “I heard Oliver ripped her a new one for it—but when is he not a grumpy old man?”

Not even the reminder that Oliver hated that dress could sour my mood.

“Half the time, he doesn’t even like Camila’s stuff, which is an objectively wrong opinion,” Ronnie muttered. “I don’t know how they don’t kill each other at home; they’ve literally never agreed on anything in their lives.”

The women laughed, and I almost chimed in. There was no need to expose myself, though. Not when it was just getting interesting as Ronnie added, “I do like Maeve.”

They sobered. “It’s a shame. She’s so talented and nice and hardworking.”

“And pretty!”

“Love her outfits,” Melissa agreed.

“To think we’re going to lose her to Elliot Ashwood.”

Something in my ribcage cracked.

“He’s not really talented, definitely not nice. Hardworking?” They both laughed.

“He is pretty,” Ronnie added as an afterthought. “But I’m sure that’s not the reason they’re saying he’ll stay.”

Someone groaned, probably Melissa. “How sure were they, though? Like, we-can-still-do-something-about-it sure or it’s-settled sure?”

Please say—

“Pretty much settled. Judging by the last exec meeting, I’d say 90 percent. Can you imagine Hunter Ashwood firing his grandson? Less likely than him burning the entire company to the ground.”

—not that.

Their conversation was a harsh reminder that my life wasn’t just all-nighters at the diner, fancy events, and making out with Elliot Ashwood. A harsh reminder that he was this close to taking it all away from me. Apparently, he already had.

My hard work, clearly appreciated by the rest of my colleagues, was worth absolutely nothing in comparison to his last name. I could work for the rest of my internship without an ounce of sleep, and Hunter Ashwood would still rather burn the entire company to the ground before giving me what I deserved.

Why even let us compete, if it was never a competition in the first place?

I was frozen in place, back pressed tightly against the wall, eyes shut. If Melissa and Ronnie rounded the corner, I probably wouldn’t be able to move. Too many neurons firing, too many thoughts to sort through without a solution or end in sight.

Stupid. To get so caught up in a man that I forgot the reality of our situation. Elliot was supposed to be my biggest rival, and I’d been so close to—“Who are we spying on?”

My eyes shot open, and there he was. The last person I wanted or needed to see right now.

He’d whispered his words, shy smile on his lips as he looked down at me. He couldn’t know that the end of my career had just accidentally been announced, and that it was his fault.

Or maybe he did know all along? Maybe that’s why he’d always seemed so unbothered, so rational?

Scanning him—blond hair I’d run my fingers through, blue eyes I’d gotten lost in more often than I’d like to admit, his lazy button-up and pants combo I’d started to appreciate—I didn’t want to believe it. But that kind of naivete had gotten me into this predicament in the first place, so . . .