I watched Maxwell’s broad back disappear into the crowd of tuxedos, and for the first time all night, I felt truly exposed.
While he was next to me, I was part of a fortress, his arm around my waist, his height shielding me, and his name protecting me all acted as a barrier against the hundreds of judging eyes in the room. But the moment he stepped onto the terrace to deal with the Japanese investors, that barrier vanished.
Now, I was just a girl in a red dress standing alone in a room full of people who hated me.
Shivering and rubbing my arms, the freezing temperature of the ballroom chilled me. Or maybe it was just the adrenaline crashing out of my system. My legs felt like jelly, so I needed to sit down and find something to drink that wasn't champagne.
Making my way to the long mar
