“Enlightening,” she said, toying with the edge of her phone.
“How so?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“You set the vision alongside the chairman and lead director until it filters through the board into action. It’s good to see another aspect of how the company works. Smooth and fierce.”
Not just a pretty face.
“And how’s Monica to work with?”
She tilted her head, that damn brow lifting. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
“Sure.”
“She works hard. But she’s fair.”
Fair.
The word settled between us, heavier than it should have.
So that’s what fair looked like. That’s what she preferred.
A woman in power who followed the rules. Who didn’t raise her voice. Monica didn’t have the weight of the company’s future on her shoulders.
I leaned back slightly, letting the silence stretch.
She stared down at her phone, and I wondered who she was messaging.
“Who are you texting?”
“I’m emailing the girls at work. Some of them are throwing a party because you’re gone,” she said with a cheeky smile.
I’d allow the insolence—for now.
“Is that right?” I drawled. “I’ll bet Allison is the ringleader.”
She squirmed in her seat but didn’t confirm.
Loyal.
I smiled.
I liked that.
She was obedient without grovelling. A rare balance. She didn’t seek attention, but she commanded mine regardless. Quiet strength. Unpolished grace.
My loyal subject.
I rolled the empty glass in my hand.
“You’ve always known your place, haven’t you?” I said, voice low. “Even when you disagreed, you knew when to hold your tongue.”
Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t answer.
Good girl.
“It’s a trait I value highly,” I added. “Loyalty, silence, discipline.”
Her eyes flicked to mine, uncertain now. Curious but cautious.
