Isla POV
The room was quiet.
Nobody spoke. Nobody scrolled their phone or shuffled their papers. They just sat in the particular stunned silence of people processing something unexpected, eyes darting between Lucian and me.
Gerald's face had gone from white to a deep ugly red.
He had accompanied Lucian Vale to every company gala for the past four years. It was his seat. His moment. The one evening in the calendar where he got to stand beside the most powerful man in the room and absorb some of that by proximity.
And Lucian had just given it to me.
In front of everyone.
"Sir—" Gerald started.
"That will be all Mr Marsh." Lucian didn't look up from his documents. "We will discuss your performance separately."
Gerald's mouth closed.
Lucian's gaze found mine across the table.
I foun
