Page 20 of Letting Go

“We think so.”

I turn, startled.

It’s him, the guy from the elevator. Elevator Suit. He’s standing now, unfolding from the sofa like a scene out of a goddamn prestige drama, standing up to… whatever his height is, definitely taller than Mike. I didn’t even see him there before, tucked away to the left, hidden behind a floor-to-ceiling bookcase and far too much charisma.

Oh god.

Who the hell is he?

He walks over like he owns the air around him. Tall, tailored, charming in that “I-vacation-on-a-yacht-but-read-real-books-too” way. Of course he’s attractive. Of course, he has that smug little smile like he knows something I don’t.

“This is my son,” Leonard Marx says, gesturing toward him like he’s unveiling a car at an auto show.

“Caden Marx. He’s the new CEO.”

Excuse me?

I glance between them. “I thought you were the CEO.”

Leonard shrugs. “I am, till 6 p.m. tonight.”

Caden gives me a little two-finger salute. “Surprise.”

“What are you, twenty?” I blurt.

“I’m twenty-nine.”

“You don’t look twenty-nine.”

“That feels like an insult.”

“It is.”

Leonard chuckles like we’re all just having a pleasant time. “Miss Scott, please, sit. We were hoping to speak with you, actually.”

“You were?” I say, sitting slowly, like the chair might attack.

“Yes,” Caden says. “I read your entire file last night.”

I blink. “You what?”

“Top of your class. Internship at Wilkins & Rowe. Five years at Marx Media, glowing internal reviews. Except for the part where the last president described you as ‘intimidatingly competent and possibly telekinetic.’”

I narrow my eyes. “That’s not a real quote.”

“It is,” Leonard confirms. “I remember it fondly.”

“What do you want from me?”

Leonard leans forward, fingers steepled. “To help us clean up the mess we’ve let fester. Leonard, the other Leonard, your former supervisor, was a disaster we failed to notice until recently. That’s on us. We want to make it right.”

I’m confused, “How do you know?”

“He called yesterday to tell us how you screwed up,” Leanard holds up a hand when I go to interject, “Right after, Mr Wuan called as well. Told us the monumental fuck-up our President was and how I might want to fix that if we wish to keep his business. Not in these words, obviously.”

Caden jumps in. “And that’s where you come in.”

I blink again. “Me?”

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