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“I told him to.”
The words were whispered in shame, and probably not meant for my ears, but I stiffen in cold rage when they reach me.
However, I can do nothing more than offer my support to this young woman—the only who has not treated me like a leper since I got here.
“Whatever you need, you let Lana or me know,” I say gruffly. As an afterthought, I say, “And maybe Lucas.”
“Thank you, Mr. Thornton.” A small smile tugs at her lips, and it cheers me up that someone’s day is looking up.
I nod. “I mean it. You’re good at your job. We’re not letting you go because of this.”
The verbal job security I’ve offered her makes her shoulders relax.
“I wanted to let you know. There’s a young woman arriving in half an hour. Send her straight up to my office.”
Her face scrunches at the strange request, but she nods. “Sure thing.”
I walk away from her, feeling a bit more satisfied.
* * *
It’s the afternoon when I hear voices outside. I glance up to see Lana wearing a scowl, my new assistant trailing behind with her lips pursed disapprovingly.
“I told her to wait, Mr. Thornton.” She looks annoyed, and I wave my hand.
“That’s quite all right, Val. Can you send me the Zaran Reports after you’re done with them?”
She nods and retreats, but not before throwing Lana another hostile scowl.
Lana doesn’t appear happy. “Who’s that?”
I choose to ignore her, continuing to flip through the reports I already have before me. “My assistant, Valerie.”
When I don’t offer any additional information, she makes a huffing sound. “I thought you didn’t have time to train an assistant?”
Distractedly, I glance up. “I don’t. I’ve worked with her before. She used to be my PA when I worked in the US a few years back. I gave her a call.”
Lana appears unsettled, throwing another look over her shoulder at the opaque glass. “Why didn’t you call her before?”
Now, I lean back and study her. “At first, I was committed to working on this company for a year. Now, I want to wrap this project up as quickly as I can. Valerie is efficient enough to make that happen.”
Lana’s obvious shock soothes the injured hurt I’m nursing inside my chest. Her voice isn’t steady. “You’re leaving?”
“Not yet,” I reply. “But maybe in a few more months. I have no reason to prolong my stay here if I can finish the restructuring early.”
Her face is pale. Her brain is working overtime, clearly trying to figure out the right response. Finally, she hoarsely asks, “Is this because of what happened between us?”
I eye her for a moments before lying through my teeth. “No. That was a one-time thing. Those were your words.”
Lana struggles to say something, and I raise a brow. “Will that be all, Miss Hill?”
She blanches at the way I’ve put up a barrier between us, the same one she had been intent on building since I arrived here.
It satisfies me to see that, however she might pretend, the night between us had meant something to her, no matter how miniscule, and she’s taken aback by how I’m so openly rejecting her.
It’s vicious and petty, but my insides have been savaged once before. I’m not going to hand my heart over to somebody who doesn’t want it, not for a second time.
However, Lana isn’t one of those women who just rolls over without a fight.
