Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Refused the Prize
Nora laughed for nearly ten seconds.
I wasn't accustomed to women laughing when I mentioned marriage.
Especially marriage to me.
Finally she covered her mouth.
“I'm sorry.”
“Clearly you're devastated by the possibility.”
That made her laugh harder.
I poured myself another whiskey.
“Finished?”
“Almost.”
“Nora.”
“Yes. Finished.”
I leaned back.
“You won.”
“No.”
“You found Dominic.”
“Yes.”
“You exposed Victor.”
“Yes.”
“You created more value than forty million dollars in acquisitions.”
“Probably.”
“Then according to the rules—”
“No.”
I stared at her.
She folded her arms.
“You can't say no.”
“Watch me.”
“You accepted the card.”
“I accepted a competition.”
“The prize was marriage.”
“The prize was becoming your wife. Nobody said the winner was legally required to accept.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You found a loophole.”
“I spent three years listening to your lawyers.”
Despite myself, I smiled.
“So what do you want?”
“My job.”
“You have one.”
“A different one.”
“What kind?”
Nora became serious.
“Your internal systems are broken.”
“That sounds encouraging.”
“Dominic stole from you for years. Victor manipulated your advisers. Your security department watches people with guns and ignores people with spreadsheets.”
I listened.
“You need independent internal intelligence.”
“You want to run it?”
“No.”
That surprised me.
“Why not?”
“Because I have no training.”
“You just solved a conspiracy.”
“I also nearly got kidnapped in Queens.”
I sat forward.
“What?”
Nora froze.
“You didn't mention that.”
“It wasn't important.”
“It is extremely important.”
“The security officers handled it.”
“Nora.”
“Adrian.”
That stopped me.
She had never called me by my first name.
She realized it too.
“Sorry.”
“Don't be.”
Our eyes held.
Then she continued.
“I want to learn. Give me six months working with finance, security, logistics, and legal.”
“And afterward?”
“If I'm good enough, give me the department.”
I considered her proposal.
“Salary?”
She named a number.
I laughed.
“What?”
“You're asking for less than my driver earns.”
Her face colored.
“I don't know executive salaries.”
“I noticed.”
I doubled it.
Her mouth opened.
Then I doubled it again.
“Adrian.”
“Still cheaper than Camille's penthouse.”
“That isn't funny.”
“It is to me.”
Nora looked at the black card.
“What happens to the others?”
“Camille keeps what she bought personally. Evelyn's freight acquisition may actually be useful after restructuring. Sloane's political purchases will be unwound.”
“And the marriage competition?”
“Over.”
She relaxed.
I noticed.
“You really hated the idea.”
“I hated being treated like something you could win.”
The words hit harder than expected.
“I wasn't trying to insult you.”
“I know.”
“Then what?”
She looked toward the windows.
“For three years, I've watched women come into this penthouse wanting your name, money, protection, connections.”
“And?”
“Very few wanted you.”
That silenced me.
She stood.
“Good night.”
“Nora.”
She stopped.
“Why did you stay three years?”
She didn't turn around.
“The first month I worked here, my mother needed surgery.”
I remembered.
“You asked payroll for an advance.”
“They refused.”
I frowned.
She continued.
“The hospital called the next morning and said the bill had been anonymously paid.”
I said nothing.
Nora turned.
“I knew it was you.”
“How?”
“Dominic told the accountant you were an idiot for spending money on servants.”
My jaw tightened.
Nora smiled faintly.
“You never told me.”
“It wasn't necessary.”
“Exactly.”
She walked toward the elevator.
I watched her leave.
For the first time in my adult life, a woman had been offered everything attached to my name and chosen a job instead.
And somehow that made me want her beside me more.
But wanting something and deserving it were different things.
May you like
Nora had taught me that too.
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