Page 44 of Lost Times

“Yes, I’m starting to see that.”

Then I knew nothing.

Chapter 18

Kelly and I worked at a steady clip, putting the finished papers to the side as more were delivered. Today had been going at the speed of light so far and each time we almost finished the work, more would arrive.

Thankfully Ludwig had started shifting around his work because if he’d tried to do all of this alone, he wouldn’t have slept all week.

Ever since I’d sat down, he’d been in meetings. I caught a few glimpses of him between them, his hair in that perfectly brushed back style without a single strand out of place. He was looking better rested since he’d started sleeping over and having dinner with Jasmine and I, something that Kelly was quick to notice as well.

When the next set of meetings passed and Ludwig came out to wave in the next, she hummed curiously. “So is it just me, or does the boss seem healthier lately? Almost like he’s glowing.”

I shrugged, forcing my smile tonotshow lest she figure out that I had something to do with it. “Maybe it’s the full nights of rest? He’s been delegating his work and heading home at the same time as us lately.”

She tipped her head, acknowledging the point as he disappeared back into his office. Peaceful silence passed between us for a long minute until the intercom overhead buzzed, announcing someone at the front entrance.

Kelly frowned, getting up and waving me back down when I went to stand as well. “It’s probably just another meeting that showed up early. I’ve got it.”

Then she disappeared, leaving me with our coworkers, all of us shooting confused looks at the door. There shouldn’t be another meeting until at least an hour later, so this was…odd.

While Kelly’s suggestion was possible, it was highly unlikely, and every hair on my neck was standing to attention.

When Kelly herself came back, her face ten shades paler, with a very familiar and unwelcome couple behind her, I realized why I felt that way.

Ludwig’s parents had apparently decided to stop by.

Forcing a professional mask, I focused on my paperwork and listened as Kelly spoke. “Mr. Evans is currently in a meeting, as he’s been all day. He doesn’t have any breaks in his schedule, thanks to the boom in clients lately-.”

His father cut her off rudely, his eyes sweeping the room as he did. “We don’t need to talk with our son to see how he’s running the company. Go back to your business.”

Kelly did, but when she sat next to me, Ludwig’s father’s eyes followed her, stopping when they landed on me.

He froze, mouth opening a hair, before his entire face shut down in a mask of neutrality, only the cruel glint to his eyes warning of the storm headed my way. He breezed over to my desk, his mouth curling into a parody of a smile as he asked.

“I suppose I don’t have to ask how you met my son. Hopefully you’requalifiedto have this job and not here as a decoration piece.”

A world of accusations lingered under that sentence, and I fought back the urge to bristle. He thought I’d slept with Ludwig to get this job, as if I hadn’t busted my butt to get where I was. Kelly sucked in an offended breath next to me, but I waved out of sight of the other two, telling her without words not to get involved.

Keeping my smile firmly in place, as I would for any other unpleasant boss, I spoke. “Every single employee here has the necessary credentials to work in our positions. There were tests we had to pass, and if you’d like, I can produce my degree?”

My tone was icy, the words spoken as if to a toddler, and that didn’t go over his head. His nostrils flared, eyes narrowing as his smile turned sharper.

“That won’t be necessary, though, if you'll follow me, I believe a meeting is due.”

It wasn’t really a request so I stood, offering a soothing smile to Kelly as I went. She had no idea what was going on here, just that–for some reason–the previous owners of the company had it out for me.

With any luck, none of my coworkers would find out why that was.

Once we were tucked into a private room, his father dropped the mask and sneered. “How much do we have to pay for you to take that child of yours andleave?”

The question threw me off so badly I choked, raising a disbelieving brow. “Excuse me?” I asked, sure I’d imagined that because he hadn’t just-.

His lips curled into a scowl and he said it again, the distant sound of a door opening lost under the rushing of blood in my ears.

“How much money will it take for you to break things off with my son and leave? Twenty five thousand? Thirty?”

I nearly choked again at the amounts, not that I was actually considering the offer but that he could casually throw around that kind of money. Shaking myself back to the present, I straightened and shook my head.

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