Page 68 of The One Who Saw Her: Boone

"Now, if I could just figure out how to apply that to my adult relationships," he said, trying to lighten the weight of it.

But the ache hummed underneath—his parents gone in that crash, that single wrenching second that took everything—and, surprisingly, he didn't try to bury it. He let her hear it, quietly and without fanfare, the way the truest things always came out.

He thought she might be worth that.

He was starting to think she might be worth quite a lot.

CHAPTER 27

Vivi stared at her laptop, sipping her fourth cup of coffee like it was a life-support system. She wanted to punch that smug, I'm-the-genius-here grin right off her boss's face but didn't want to break her screen.

"Congratulations are in order for you and your incredible teamwork," Peter said cheerfully, as if he'd been a part of the recent success and not just very good at standing near it. "Landing Jessica Stone? Incredible. Really shows the leadership that have been fostered around here."

Her fingers twitched over the keyboard.

Leadership that had been fostered? She nearly screamed.

Vivi inhaled, trying to keep her coffee from turning into a projectile. "Uh, thanks, Peter," she said carefully.

"Absolutely," he continued, leaning back like he owned the whole damn internet. "And of course, this has been a real coup for us. My vision, my strategy, your execution. Jessica was thrilled when I reached out personally."

She could feel her pulse in her temples. She'd spent months nurturing the connection with Jessica Stone, crafting the pitch, making sure the timing was perfect. Every email, every phone call, every subtly persuasive move? That had been her.

"Wow," she said slowly, letting the words drip with fake awe. "I guess it's really paying off … that celebrity pipeline you envisioned. Who knew one client could lead to a whole string of them?"

Peter smiled, clearly drinking in the praise. "Exactly. That's why having someone like me steering the ship is invaluable. Couldn't have done it without you, of course."

"Of course," she said, forcing cheer into her voice. "Your guidance really made all the difference."

He nodded satisfied and launched into a monologue about future prospects, marketing strategies, and how his networking had paved the way.

Vivi quietly muted her mic and stared at the ceiling.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

By the time he paused for breath, she'd counted eleven blatant examples of him taking credit for her work.

She unmuted herself. "Peter, I was thinking that maybe for the next celebrity campaign I could manage the outreach entirely. That way we both get to shine?"

His eyebrows lifted. "Oh? I like the initiative. Go on."

"I'd take full ownership this time. I’ll handle the emails, the profiles, and the follow-ups personally. Someone has to make sure the celebrity pipeline keeps flowing smoothly. And with my connections from my VIP hostess days, which is how I brought in Jessica, I think I can really make this happen."

"Smart. Very smart. But I'd like to be CCed on everything. You report to me and I'll report to Nathan."

Which meant he was going to take all the credit again.

"Actually, I'd feel more comfortable CCing you and Nathan both."

Peter's brow furrowed. "I don't know. There's a hierarchy for a reason."

"But," Vivi cut in, "without me, there isn't a department to run."