The first week of my "internship" at the Thorne Empire felt more like a high-stakes psychological thriller than actual work. I was given a spacious office just down the hall from Alexander's sweeping executive suite, but I rarely saw him during business hours. He communicated exclusively through terse emails and his intimidatingly efficient assistant, leaving me alone with spreadsheets and a constant, low-level hum of anxiety.
I was beginning to think I had imagined the intense, possessive behavior he had displayed at lunch. Maybe it was just a power play against his brother.
Then came the annual Thorne Empire Charity Gala.
It was the most exclusive event of the season, a glittering playground for the city's elite. As a new intern, I certainly wasn't required to attend, but an embossed,
