Chapter 67
Chapter 67:
“I’m the one who signs your checks, Mike,” Aurora said softly. “And I say we wait for Yinn p>
Mike sank into his seat. He was pale. He looked like he might vomit.
“Why didn’t you say so?” Mike whispered.
“Because competence should speak louder than titles,” Aurora replied.
She looked out the window. She saw Ursula coming out of the building, heading toward a coffee cart on the corner.
“Opportunity,” Aurora said.
She opened the van door.
“Wait here,” she commanded.
She stepped out onto the sidewalk, leaving a stunned team behind. Mike was staring at the floor, replaying every insult he had hurled at his boss’s boss.
The Thorne family breakfast room was sunlit, but the mood was overcast. Elias sat at the head of the table, drinking black coffee. He looked tired.
Beatrice buttered her toast. “I saw Aurora the other night. She looked stunning p>
Sterling choked on his eggs. “Her? She looked like a charity case trying to blend in p>
“She looked like a queen,” Beatrice corrected. She looked at Elias. “You should ask her to dinner, Elias. Properly this time p>
Elias kept his face neutral, staring at his tablet. “I am busy with the merger, Mother p>
“Too busy for life?” Beatrice teased. “I saw the way you looked at her. And that static shock? Sparks were literally flying p>
Elias’s hand tightened on his coffee cup. The memory of that shock—the physical jolt that had kept him awake for two nights—flashed through his mind. He rubbed his thumb against his palm, still feeling the phantom heat.
“I’m not interested,” Elias lied. His voice was flat.
𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 @
Under the table, hidden from view, his phone was open. It displayed Aurora’s file. He had been reading it for twenty minutes.
On the street outside the Institute, Aurora approached the coffee cart.
Ursula was waiting for her latte, checking her watch impatiently. She saw Aurora approaching and rolled her eyes.
“We aren’t seeing anyone,” Ursula snapped. “Especially not persistence cases p>
Aurora didn’t ask for a meeting. She handed the barista a five-dollar bill.
“Black, two sugars. For the lady,” Aurora said.
She took the cup and handed it to Ursula.
“You look tired,” Aurora said kindly. “Dealing with liars is exhausting p>
Ursula blinked. She looked at the coffee, then at Aurora. She was disarmed for a second.
“Bribery won’t work,” Ursula said, taking the cup anyway.
“I don’t want a meeting,” Aurora said. “Just pass a message to the Professor for me p>
Ursula sighed. “Fine. What is it p>
Aurora leaned in.
“Tell her: ‘The phoenix rests in the gold p>