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This time, the name on the screen of my cell is familiar: Raphaël. A bitter taste quickly fills my mouth, before I even read his message.

[Raphaël

Enjoying life with your millionaire? What’s it like having your name splashed all over the trashy tabloids’ front pages?]

Clenching my jaw, I toss my phone onto the coffee table.

What if the first text was from him too?

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on, instead of sitting there, staring into space?”

I hadn’t realized, but Lily has paused the movie and is watching me closely. I fill her in on what just happened, and she suspects the same thing I do.

“Maybe he’s using two numbers to make it seem like he isn’t the only one harassing you. He wants revenge. He wants to scare you…”

Then, without missing a beat, my eccentric sister places her right hand over her heart and declares herself to be “Team Peeta!” before pressing Play again.

“It’s Team Vadim, for me,” I murmur. “But why does the whole world seem pissed about that?”

58

Alma

It’s only nine o’clock, and I already wish this Monday was over.

After two days without seeing Vadim, I expect to find him alone in his office, but it’s Zoey Thompson I spot first when I walk through the door. Her—and how close she is to Vadim. The assistant is standing just a few inches from him, her hands around his neck. The sight leaves me reeling. It fills me with anxiety.

Deep in conversation, they don’t notice me there. I clear my throat, and they turn in my direction. After a moment’s hesitation, Zoey steps back, and Vadim gives me an amused smile. He finds my jealousy entertaining—there’s no doubt about it.

Then it’s Zoey’s turn to smile at me, her expression filled with a mixture of kindness and impertinence. “Hello, Alma. Would you mind waiting a few minutes? We won’t be long.”

Stunned by her confidence, I let out a nervous little laugh.

Vadim finally speaks up. “Zoey, would you mind leaving us? The schedule can wait. Alma and I have an urgent matter to attend to,” he specifies, without taking his eyes off me for a second.

That damn smirk.

Zoey nods, then leaves the room in no hurry at all. Once the door is closed behind her, I turn to Vadim, calm and collected in his black suit.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Never.”

He sits on the edge of his desk and studies me carefully.

“Next time, I’ll let you know I’m coming. Just in case…”

“You always think the worst, Alma,” Vadim says with a sigh.

“Did you have a problem with your tie?”

He isn’t wearing one.

“Zoey was showing me a self-defense technique. Her mother is a trainer, and I’d like to offer her classes to all the female employees in the company.”

I close my eyes for a moment, feeling embarrassment wash over me. I’m mortified about how I reacted, ashamed of immediately doubting another woman’s intentions.

“It’s your fault, Vadim,” I murmur, fully aware that I’m being unreasonable.