Page 21 of The Billionaire's Most Unexpected Triplets

“I’ll need a list of the staff who will be staying and going,” I say, my voice steady.

“Of course. I’ll have my assistant send it over to you by the end of the day.” His voice is as smooth as butter, like we didn’t just have a near brawl in the middle of this office.

“As far as GourmetGlobal’s location…” He clears his throat. “You’ll be moving into Leadsom Tower. You will have everything you need there.”

Right. Well, at least I won’t be paying rent anymore…

“Fine.” I nod. “Anything else I need to know?”

His gaze lingers on my face, and the energy shifts between us. It’s palpable, strong, and completely unwanted on my part.

It’s also irresistible.

“Yes,” he whispers. “You left your panties at my place.” He grins. “I hope they weren’t a special pair.”

He couldn’t have hurt me more were he to body slam me into the wall. My dreams of us becoming anything beyond a one-night stand now seem like foolish schoolgirl fantasies. I can read into his words well enough.

He wants me to know that our fling is over and under no conditions will I ever be in his house again.

Fine by me. If this guy were to touch me at this point, I would probably vomit.

“I’ll have someone pick them up,” I say, just to get under his skin.

Jack’s grin widens. He’s completely unfazed. “Why don’t you come over and get them yourself? Stay for another night, maybe two. I promise it’ll be worth your while.”

My blood boils at his audacity. He doesn’t seriously mean this, does he? Not only has he insulted me, but now he’s my boss.

“I think I’ll pass,” I spit out. “I have work to do.”

“As if work is the only thing on your mind,” he mutters. But I hear him loud and clear.

I force a sarcastic smile and turn to leave, feeling his eyes on my back as I walk away. In the open-spaced work area, people are gathered together, talking frantically.

When they see me, everyone gets quiet, and all eyes turn to me.

I know I need to say something. I need to be a good boss right now, a good leader. Even though it feels like my whole world is falling apart, I can’t show that.

Standing in front of everyone, I clear my throat.

“Good morning, everyone. I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now. I know this is a difficult time for all of us, but we need to focus on the future.” I look into everyone’s eyes. “We will be moving to a new location, but we will continue to work hard and make GourmetGlobal the best it can be.”

There are murmurs of agreement among the staff, and I can feel their support. It gives me strength, makes me want to go on.

Should I mention the layoffs?

No. That would only make them panic, and not everyone will be leaving. As much as I hate it, it’s best to let Jack handle that one.

Even though it kills me.

I clear my throat and go on. “I want to thank each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication. Whatever happens from this point on, I want you all to know how much I appreciate you.”

The staff applauds as I step down from the makeshift stage, and the reality of the situation still hits me hard. I’ve lost full control of my company. It’s the nightmare I’ve always feared.

Just fifteen minutes ago I was on a high, and now it feels like I’m dragging along the ground.

Sitting at my desk, I pull up my email and wait for the list of fired employees to come in. As I wait, I can feel a knot forming in my stomach. I know that some of my closest friends and colleagues will be on that list, and I’m not looking forward to reading it.

When it does pop up, I suck in a breath and click on the document.

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