Page 64 of Worth the Fall

I glance at Miguel, expecting him to laugh or scold me, but he doesn’t. He just sits there, watching me with an intensity that makes my chest ache.

“So the partners know?” he asks quietly.

“Yes,” I say, my voice breaking. “They know everything. And they still put me on Celine’s case. They said it’s my chance to prove myself, to show them I can handle a big client. But Miguel...” I choke back more tears, “I—we can’t be together then.”

He leans back in his chair, exhaling slowly. For a long moment, he doesn’t say anything, his gaze locked on me as he processes everything I’ve just told him.

Finally, he nods, his voice steady. “Okay. Then we’re going to handle this. Together.”

I stare at Miguel as he sits calmly in the chair across from me, his words ringing in my ears. “We’re going to handle this. Together.”

I stand up, crossing my arms, my voice sharp with disbelief. “What do you mean, handle this together? Miguel, this isn’t something you can just waltz in and fix!”

He leans back in the chair, his jaw tight, his eyes holding mine. “Give me a dollar.”

I blink. “What?”

He motions toward me, his hand outstretched, palm up. “Give me a dollar.”

I narrow my eyes at him, my irritation flaring. “Miguel, I swear to God, if this is some ridiculous?—”

“Just do it,” he says, his tone calm but unyielding.

With an exasperated sigh, I dig into my purse and pull out a crumpled dollar bill. I slap it into his hand. “There. Happy?”

“Very,” he says, tucking the bill into his pocket. He stands up, smoothing his shirt as he towers over me. “Congratulations, Mia. You’ve just hired yourself an attorney.”

“What are you?—”

“I’m your lawyer now,” he says with a confident smirk. “Which means you and I are going to march into your boss’soffice once Celine gets here, and we’re going to solve this problem the way it should have been handled from the start.”

I gape at him, my mind racing to catch up. “Miguel, I don’t?—”

“She’s the one who needs to find a new practice,” he continues, cutting me off. “She picked your firm just to mess with us, and that’s not your fault. It’s hers. We’re not going to let her derail your career or this relationship. Not happening.”

I stare at him, my chest tightening with a mix of anxiety and awe. His determination, his unwavering belief in me—it’s overwhelming.

“You can’t just boss me around like this,” I say, though my voice is softer now, almost teasing.

He steps closer, his eyes locking onto mine, his voice dropping to that low, commanding tone that makes my knees feel weak. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do, because I love you, and I’m not going to stand by and let anyone ruin what we have. Not even Celine.”

For a moment, I can’t speak. My heart pounds in my chest as I watch him, my mind still reeling from everything that’s happened. But as much as I want to argue, as much as I want to push back… I know he’s right.

“Okay,” I whisper finally, my voice trembling. “Let’s handle this.”

He nods, his hand brushing lightly against my arm. “We’ve got this, Mia. Together.”

CHAPTER 14

Miguel

I’m pacing the length of Mia’s office, every step making my frustration mount. The walls feel too close, the space too quiet, and the sight of her sitting so still behind that desk, trying to act like everything is fine, only adds fuel to the fire burning in my chest.

"This shouldn’t be happening," I snap, dragging my hands through my hair for what has to be the hundredth time. "She shouldn’t be allowed to do this—to you, to us. It’s not right."

Mia looks up at me, her calm demeanor a sharp contrast to the storm raging inside me. "Miguel," she says softly, but it’s not enough to stop the words tumbling out of me.

"She’s trying to sabotage you," I continue, gesturing wildly. "It’s the only explanation. She knows what she’s doing—pushing herself into your career like this, making everything harder. It’s calculated."

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