Mark casually released Jessica’s hand, stepping back without apology. “Thanks, Veronica.”
Jessica stared at him, stunned. “You’ve got to be f*****g kidding me,” she burst out. “Did she just walk into our room unannounced?”
Mark’s brow lifted in surprise—at her words, not her anger. It was the first time he’d ever heard her swear. It threw him for a beat.
“She was here earlier, helping me prepare for an unscheduled meeting,” he said calmly, though his gaze flicked toward Veronica. “She stepped out to finalize a few arrangements just before you got back.”
Jessica stood frozen, fury and defeat twisting inside her. She didn’t even know which betrayal to confront first—Veronica’s intrusion or Mark’s sudden change of plans. She chose the more pressing.
“You’re leaving?” she asked, voice sha
