Page 131 of Terms of Exposure

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Nathan hadn't been careless.

He wasn't testing her boundaries.

He'd been deliberate.

"She's a professional," I said evenly. "I'd expect nothing less from a board member."

"Mm." His fingers drummed once against the armrest. "Most people crack under that kind of pressure. The long hours. The scrutiny."

He paused.

"The isolation."

I kept my expression neutral, my posture controlled. He'd come in here hoping for something. A tell. A fissure. A reaction.

"But not Emma," he continued. "She endured."

I clenched my fists inside my pockets.

"Was there a point you wanted to discuss?" I asked, voice calm. Flat. "I have a full afternoon."

"Just an observation." Nathan rose from the chair, smoothing down his jacket. "You two seem to have developed quite a rapport. I've noticed you in meetings together. The way you look at each other. It's sweet. Almost like there's something more there."

"Emma is a valued colleague," I said.

"Of course." Nathan moved toward the door, then paused with his hand on the frame. "Though I have to say—it's interesting timing. The merger. Her sudden appointment to the board." His gaze flicked to mine. "The way those audit discrepancies just… disappeared."

There it was. The escalation.

"It's almost like someone was looking out for her."

The silence stretched between us.

I didn't move. Didn't flinch.

Nathan's grin widened anyway.

"Enjoy your afternoon, Damien," he said softly. "I'm sure you have a lot on your plate."

The door clicked shut behind him.

I stood still for a long moment, staring at nothing.

Let him dig. Let him chase shadows.

But Nathan wasn't chasing shadows.

He was circling the most vulnerable part of Emma's life—and smiling.

I made myself breathe.

In two hours, I'd sit across from her in a café,

two ordinary people

with ordinary salads,

and I refused to let Nathan Bell poison that.

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