CHAPTER 12❤️

CHAPTER 12: FUN OF THE PRETENCE

MARYANN'S POV

The soft clicking of my heels echoed down the polished hallway as I returned to my new desk just outside Henry's office.

It was sleek, minimalist, far more modern than anything I'd worked at

before.

A large screen flickered to life as I touched the keyboard, and a welcome message from IT blinked at me: Welcome, Maryann.

I gave a small, steadying breath and sat down. This was it. My new

beginning.

Only feet away, separated by a wooden door, sat the man who had haunted my thoughts since that Jonadab's party. And here I was, expected to work with him every day, professionally, calmly,

efficiently.

No pressure.

For the next hour, I threw herself into setup mode. I organized my digital files, skimmed through onboarding documents, and familiarized myself with Henry's calendar.

It was packed, meetings, board calls, investor presentations, review sessions. I admired how structured it was. Busy, yet calculated. No wasted space.

My phone buzzed. An internal message from Henry."Please print the presentation slides for the 11:30meeting. Bring them in when you're done."

Short. Direct. Professional.

Good, I thought. He's keeping it strictly business.

I printed the documents and walked carefully into his office. Henry was

seated behind his desk, eyes scanning a report on his screen. He didn't look up immediately.

"Set them on the table," he said, gesturing toward the coffee table near the lounge area.

I placed them down and hesitated. "Would you like me to arrange refreshments for the meeting?"

Henry paused, then finally looked at me. "Yes. Black coffee for me. No sugar. Mr. Anderson will likely want green tea. The others are fine with bottled water."

I nodded. "Understood."

"Thank you, he said."

Our eyes met briefly again.

And there it was.

The flicker.

Just a split second, but it was real.

Still, Henry quickly looked away, giving nothing else away. He returned to his screen, his expression unreadable. "That'll be all." He said.

I left the office and shut the door gently behind me. As I walked back to my desk, I let out a long breath.

He was pretending.

Pretending like he didn't remember the way he admired me at the party.

Pretending like he hadn't studied me in that green dress. Pretending like my presence didn't faze him.

And maybe that was for the best.

Maybe.

But inside his office, Henry was struggling more than he let on.

He watched the door slowly shut, then leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Why her?

Of all the people Harris could've hired. Of all the resumes in the country. Why her? He asked himself.

I was a distraction, plain and simple. A walking reminder of that night. Of that rare, rare moment when he let himself wonder what it might feel like to be normal. To want someone, without thinking of consequences.

He couldn't afford distractions.

He wouldn't.

So he buried it. The memories. The feelings. The way I laugh had sounded like spring water at that party.

He would keep everything buried.