THE VALENTINE PROPOSAL

chapter10. Proving grounds2

LIORA

I had three days to save my career. Three days to prove I wasn't just the boss's girlfriend. Three days before the board decided if Ramsey Bellamy was right about me.

I didn't sleep much. My team slowly started helping instead of fighting me. Even Derek admitted I might not be completely hopeless. We worked long hours getting everything ready.

But the worst part wasn't the work. It was Everett.

After our fight about Claire, he avoided me. I saw him in meetings and hallways but he didn't stop to talk. He just nodded politely and kept walking like I was any other employee.

There was no more hand holding, no more late night kitchen talks and no more moments where it felt like we were becoming something real.

It hurt worse than I expected. I told myself it was better this way and easier. But it didn't feel easier. It felt like losing something I never had.

On the second day, someone knocked on the penthouse door. I opened it and found Nuala standing there.

"Mrs. Montague," I said. My heart raced. "I wasn't expecting you."

"May I come in?"

I let her inside. She sat on the couch looking uncomfortable.

"I wanted to apologize," she said. "I was too harsh at dinner. I've been watching you these past few weeks. Everett seems different with you and lighter."

My throat felt tight. "He's been avoiding me for days."

"Because you scare him." Nuala's voice was gentle. "He hasn't let anyone close since Claire. Now you're getting close and he doesn't know what to do."

She leaned forward. "I need to tell you something about Claire, about what really happened."

I poured her drinks while she talked.

"It wasn't just money. Zyler threatened Claire's family business. They owned a small bookstore. Zyler told them he'd destroy it if Claire didn't leave Everett."

My stomach dropped. "He blackmailed her."

"Claire had to choose between Everett and her parents' livelihood. She chose her parents." Nuala wiped her eyes. "Everett never knew about the threats. All he knew was that Claire took the money and left. He thought she never really loved him."

"That's horrible."

"It is. And I didn't stop it. I thought Claire wasn't good enough for Everett." She looked at me. "I was wrong. Now Everett doesn't trust anyone. He thinks everyone will leave eventually."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I see how he looks at you, like maybe he wants to trust you but he's terrified." Nuala stood up. "If you hurt him, I'll never forgive you. But if your feelings are real, then fight for him. Don't let Zyler or Diella or anyone else scare you away."

When she left, I sat there thinking about Everett believing everyone had a price. I was already falling for him and it scared me so much.

The morning of the presentation, I woke up early and got dressed. I went to my office to pull up my presentation files.

They were gone.

I stared at my computer screen. Everything I'd worked on was just deleted. The backup was corrupted too.

My phone buzzed with a text from Diella.

Good luck today ☺️

She did this. She sabotaged me right before the biggest presentation of my life.

I called my team and luckily for me, they came running. We spent two hours rebuilding everything from scratch. It wasn't perfect but it was done.

The boardroom was packed when we walked in. Zyler sat there looking cold. Ramsey Bellamy was there too. Diella sat in the back with a satisfied smile.

Everett sat at the head of the table. His face showed nothing.

I presented the campaign and answered all the questions they threw my way. Ramsey tried to make me look stupid but I had answers for everything. My team even stood up to defend me.

The board voted and I passed.

I'd done it. I'd actually done it.

People started leaving. I looked around for Everett but he was already gone. Sigh, at least I wanted a pat on my back and a ‘well done’ from him.

I found him in the hallway by the window.

"Everett," I said.

He turned around. "That was incredible."

"Thank you."

"You did that yourself. No one can say you didn't earn this." His eyes were warm and proud. Butterflies fluttered in my chest.

"I know about the threats to Claire's family. Your mom told me."

I sighed, holding on to the railing.

Everett's face went pale. "What?"

"You didn't know." I looked up at him with a soft expression. "You thought she just took the money and left. But your father threatened to destroy her parents' business. She didn't have a choice."

He stared at me. "She didn't choose the money over me?"

"She chose her family. She was trying to protect them from your father." I stepped closer. "The betrayal you felt wasn't the whole story."

Everett leaned against the wall. He looked lost. Everything he believed about Claire and love and people having prices was falling apart.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "For judging you and not seeing how much they hurt you too."

He pulled me into a hug and I leaned in, relieved. He just wrapped his arms around me and held on tight. It was the first real touch since our fight.

I melted into him. I put my face against his chest and felt his heart beating fast.

"Thank you," I said. "For believing in my work."

"Always." His voice was rough. He buried his face in my hair. "I'm sorry I avoided you. I was scared."

"Of what?"

"Of this. Of you. Of feeling something real." His arms tightened around me. "Everyone leaves, Liora. Everyone has a price. But you keep staying and I don't know what to do with that."

I pulled back just enough to look at him. "I'm not Claire. I'm not your mother. I don't have a price, Everett."

"I want to believe that."

"Then believe it." I touched his face. "I'm not going anywhere."

He looked at me like he was afraid to hope. I know he wanted to trust me but didn't know how.

"I'm falling for you," I whispered. "I know we're supposed to be fake but I can't help it. I'm falling for you and it terrifies me."

Everett's thumb brushed my cheek. "You terrify me too."

"Good. We can be terrified together."

He almost smiled and when I didn't expect it, he lifted my chin and he leaned in to kiss me.

I kissed him back like I was drowning and he was air. I sucked on his lips like I'd been waiting my whole life for this moment.

When we finally pulled apart we were both breathing hard.

"We should talk about this," Everett said.

"Later." I pulled him back down. "Kiss me again first."

He did. Right there in the hallway where anyone could see. And I didn't care who was watching anymore