James’s POV:
When the private elevator doors opened, I witnessed a scene that left me echter
Mr. Thornton–the ‘King C‘ of Wall Street–smiling to himself like a teenager after a first kies.
I’ve been working for Caspar Thornton for nearly eight years now, and in that time, I’ve rarely we w
A slight upturn of the lips when closing a billion–dollar deal, perhaps.
A brief flash of pride when his son accomplishes something noteworthy.
But a genuine, unguarded smile? Almost never,
That’s why I nearly dropped my tablet,
“James,” he nodded as he stepped out, the smile not quite disappearing fast enough.
“Good morning, sir,” I replied, struggling to maintain my professional composure.
“The quarterly performance meeting is scheduled for ten. I’ve prepared the
“I need you to handle something first,” he interrupted, striding toward his office,
“Go to Ms. Lane’s apartment in Chelsea. Help her pack whatever she needs and have it delivered to the Thornton estate”
I blinked, processing this unexpected directive. “Ms. Lane is… moving in, sir?”
“Yes.” The single word carried no further explanation, but the slight softening around his eyes told me everything I needed to kno
“Of course, sir. I’ll arrange it immediately.”
My executive assistant, Melissa, leaned in as soon as Mr. Thornton’s office door closed.
“Was he… smiling?” she whispered, eyes wide with disbelief.
“I believe he was,” I confirmed.
“Should we be worried? Last time he looked happy before a quarterly review, he fired the entire derivatives team.”
I arranged the meeting materials meticulously, considering my response.
“Maybe this time will be different,” I murmured, organizing the reports in the exact order Mr. Thornton preferred.
“Never thought I’d see the day, but I guess everyone looks like a fool when they’re in love. Even Caspar Thornton was no exception.”
The quarterly performance meeting that followed was nothing short of surval.
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Chapter 136
The investment division had lost nearly forty million on a failed semiconductor acquisition.
Usually, it was a kind of mistake that typically resulted in a bloodbath of rminations and Mr. Thornton’s infamous cold fury.
Instead, he merely nodded thoughtfully as the division head stammered tough explanations.
“Recalibrate your approach,” Mr. Thornton said mildly.
“Have a revised strategy on my desk by Friday,”
The entire room froze in collective shock.
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“That’s all for today,” he concluded, closing his portfolio.
As he exited, the room erupted in nervous whispers.
‘Did he just give us three whole days?” hissed Trevor from Risk Assessment, loosening his tie as if it might help him breathe better.
“Last quarter he demanded overnight revisions!”
“Something’s definitely wrong,” muttered Diana, the head of acquisitions. Either he’s dying, or we’re all getting fired.”
“My money’s on alien abduction,” quipped Mark from Legal.
“The real Thornton is probably strapped to an examination table somewhere while this pod person walks around smiling.”
I gathered my notes, listening without contributing.
By noon, the entire Thornton Group headquarters was in a state of barely controlled panic.
Senior executives huddled in conference rooms, analyzing Mr. Thornton’s uncharacteristic behavior.
Theories ranged from terminal illness to hostile takeover threats.
“James,” the CFO cornered me in the hallway, his face pale.
“What’s happening? Is the company being sold? Are we merging with Goldman?”
“Everything’s fine,” I assured him.
“Then why is he acting like… like a normal human being?” the HR director whispered, joining our impromptu corridor meeting.
I sighed. “Mr. Thornton’s personal life is not appropriate for discussion.”
When they continued staring at me expectantly, I shrugged.
“Maybe he’s just in a good mood today.”
The group exchanged skeptical glances.
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Chapter 136
By three o’clock, I counted no fewer than five executives pretending to work white actually monitoring Mr. Thornton’s office.
The trading floor buzzed with rumors, and I noticed that nobody had left,
At four–thirty, Mr. Thornton emerged from his office, stopping at my desk
“Everyone seems unusually focused today,‘ he observed, glancing around
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the staff members who were studiously avoiding eye contact
They appear to be… concerned about your mood, sir.”
His eyebrow arched slightly. “My mood?”
Your unexpectedly positive demeanor has created some anxiety.”
Mr. Thornton stopped walking, turning to face me with a look of genuine confusion.
Are you telling me that my employees are disturbed because I’m being pleasant?”
I cleared my throat. “In essence, yes, sir.”
He glanced around at the office floor, where several people quickly pretended to be absorbed in their work.
And what do you think they’re doing now?”
I glanced at the conference room where several division heads were pretending to analyze market data.
“I believe they’re waiting to see if this is the calm before the storm.”
Mr. Thornton nodded thoughtfully, then to my astonishment, walked toward the main floor.
The sudden movement sent a ripple of panic through the office.
Keyboards clacked frantically as everyone pretended to be deeply engaged in work.
“Your dedication is commendable,” he addressed the room.
“In recognition of your efforts, the annual bonuses will be distributed next week. With an additional thirty percent as special incentive.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
After he departed, leaving stunned silence in his wake, the marketing director approached me cautiously.
“James,” she whispered, glancing around, “is the company being sold? Are we all getting severance packages disguised as bonuses?”
Before I could answer, the elevator at the far end of the floor dinged softly
The doors slid open, and a collective gasp rippled through the office.
Audrey Lane stepped out.
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Chapter 136
In her arms, she cartled Mr. Thornton’s private suits.
The marketing director’s eyes widened in recognition.
“Oh, she breathed, a knowing smile spreading across her face. “Never mind Mystery solved.
Audrey glanced around, clearly confused by the strange atmosphere and the sudden attention she was receiving,
“James,” she said when she reached my desk, completely oblivious to the office–wide speculation her arrival had triggered.
“Caspar asked me to bring these.”
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08:59 Mon, Feb 9 cc.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
