I drank the icky green thing, grimacing the whole time, my nose wrinkled, eyes nearly watering. It tasted like a mix of regret and lawn clippings. The moment I finished it, I nearly doubled over, gagging.
"Keep it down," Leanna warned, hands on her hips. "You'll thank me later."
I wasn't sure about that.
She caught sight of my bare face — tired, puffy, and makeup-free — and disappeared to grab something from her wardrobe. Moments later, she returned with a simple but elegant black dress.
"Here, wear this. It'll make you look like you didn't just survive the apocalypse."
I changed quickly, fixed my hair, and thanked her before calling the driver. It was a quiet ride home. My thoughts were loud enough.
When I finally walked through our front doors, I went looking for my mother, but one of the staff intercepted me before I could find her.
"Miss Casey," he said gently, "your father would like to see you in his study."
I froze for half a second, then gave a small nod. I found my mom nearby and we walked together in silence to Leonard's study. She didn't say anything, but her presence felt like a shield.
Leonard was already inside when we entered, sitting in that dark leather chair of his, looking as composed and commanding as ever. He looked up at me with unreadable eyes.
"Casey," he began, his voice low but even. "I'm sorry for all this. Your mother told me what happened with Cesar."
I tensed slightly, unsure of where this was going.
He continued, "If you don't want to work at Blackwell anymore, it's okay. I understand. But now that he has changed his mind… I think you should take the offer and go work there."
My brows furrowed. I wasn't sure what surprised me more — Leonard apologizing or suggesting I still take the job.
"What do you mean… he changed his mind?" I asked quietly.
"After your mother told me what happened," he said, adjusting his cufflinks like it was just another business negotiation, "I called Cesar. We had a bit of a disagreement. But I'm sorry to say since he's the one in control now, he also controls a lot of things."
He looked at me steadily, like I was supposed to understand.
"And where you were working—the subsidiary company—it technically falls under Blackwell," he continued. "So… he has the power to move things."
I blinked. "What does that mean?"
"Relax," he said with the faintest smile, "It's nothing threatening. It just means that Cesar wants you to work at Blackwell. It was what we initially planned. And now that he's… come around, it aligns again."
I folded my arms.
"He made a strong argument," Leonard said. "If people find out you interviewed at Blackwell and weren't hired, especially now—so close to my wedding—it might stir unnecessary speculation. About you. About us. About the merger. So yes, this is not only good—it's tactical."
"And if I say no?"
He didn't answer that. Instead, my mom placed a gentle hand on my arm.
"You don't have to," she said softly. "You don't have to if you don't want to."
I looked between the two of them—I thought about it and straightened. I don't want Cesar to think I'm afraid of him. I don't want him to think I'm afraid of working with him. I'm going to go there and bring hellfire down upon him.
I took a deep breath.
" Fine. I'll go work at Blackwell."
Leonard said almost beaming,
"You have made a good decision. You should go to Blackwell today if you can. The earlier, the better, so that they can process your transfer and you can begin going to work tomorrow."
"Thank you, Leonard..."
"Please, call me dad."
" Thank you, Dad. I'll go back to my room now."
"Remember, the earlier the better."
"Yes, Dad."
I left the office and went to my room. I don't know why, but I felt the need to take a second shower. I showered again and slept because I was so tired from yesterday.
I woke up in the afternoon, but I knew that Blackwell would still be in operation, so I decided to go there and get it over with. I didn't think it was going to take a lot of time, and I would still have time to get ready for my date tonight.
I called the driver, and he drove me to Blackwell. Despite the looming weight of what was ahead, I felt strangely… steady.
Cesar Blackwell was not going to win. I wasn't going to show fear or retreat. I was going to prove him wrong.
When we pulled up in front of Blackwell's towering glass building, my heart skipped once. Then I exhaled and stepped out.
The receptionist looked up, surprised for a second, and then her face lit with recognition.
"Miss Casey?" she asked politely.
"Yes. I'm here about the transfer. I believe Mr. Cesar Blackwell is expecting me."
She nodded quickly and picked up the phone. "Let me inform him."
I took a seat and waited until the woman—the head of HR, who had been present at my first interview—came down the stairs and asked me to follow her. We walked toward her spacious office. She gave me the contract and asked if I needed time to go through it. I went over it. She handed me the company rules and explained them briefly, saying I could come back tomorrow to sign everything when I officially started work. But I told her it was okay—I signed them then and there.
Then she offered me a little tour of the company. It was too huge for a full walk-through, so she kept it general: we have this on the first floor, this department is on the second, and so on.
By the time she was done, I was already tired. People were beginning to leave. Some were still working, but many were packing up and heading home. I didn't want to be late for my dinner tonight, and I wanted time to get dressed and maybe even buy myself a new dress for the occasion. From what I'd seen of Leanna and how she talked about him, I had a good idea of what kind of man Sebastian was. I wanted to make a great impression.
I thanked the HR woman for not being a bitch this time—though not in those exact words—and prepared to leave. But then she told me the CEO was expecting me upstairs in his office to go over a few things. I nearly rolled my eyes. But I was going to be an employee here now, and I had to follow what the CEO wanted.
Since I didn't yet have my ID card, she had to take me upstairs herself. Once we got up, she gave me a 'good luck' and left.
I walked toward Jennifer's desk—planted right in the middle of all that empty space—feeling like she was the only one on this floor.
"Good evening," I told her.
"Evening," she replied without looking up.
But when she finally did, I saw it—the same look of dislike she had the first time I came here. That same coldness lingered in her eyes as she looked at me now.
I knew she had seen me get off the elevator. It was hard not to be in this quiet place. But when she realized it was me, she decided to act like she hadn't.
"I would like to talk to Cesar. He's expecting me," I told her straight to the point, hoping to cut this nonsense short.
"I don't think Mr Blackwell is," she replied, straightening in her seat. "I'm his secretary. I should know if he's expecting someone."
"Well, I was just told to come here, so if he's not expecting me, could you use that little key card of yours to help me get the hell out of here?"
She narrowed her eyes at me, clearly ready to come at me with a retort —but then the double doors opened, and Jasper appeared.
I could tell it was Cesar's office.
Jasper smiled warmly at me. "Casey, it's wonderful to see you again."
"Hello, Jasper. How are you?"
"I'm great. Cesar is expecting you inside. It's this way," he said, motioning toward the double doors.
Jennifer narrowed her eyes at me again, but I just smiled back and began walking toward the doors. Jasper, ever the gentleman, opened them for me.
I stepped inside and there he was—Cesar.
Behind that black desk, the city skyline stretched out behind him like a throne room window. He sat on his chair like it was a kingdom and he was its ruler, staring directly at me.