I’m seated at my desk, stunned, while the young, tearful woman sits across from me, on the edge of her seat as if preparing to make a quick escape at any moment.

“To say this is”—I try to form the right words—“disheartening news would be an understatement, Ms. Mitchell.”

“I just didn’t know what to do,” she weeps quietly and dabs her eyes with a tissue, hands trembling.

“Well, you did the right thing by coming to me.”

Yet again, I’ve been misled. By the same damn woman, no less.

Everything at my house, everything that happened the weekend we traveled to Mobile, played into her hands perfectly.

I played into her hands like a fucking jackass.

She’d sunk to an all new low by sleeping with me to try to blind me from her actions here at work. To steal an intern’s ideas, one who’d been placed with her while she was short an assistant, no less, is the bottom of the barrel.

I rise from my chair and walk around my desk to approach Ms. Mitchell. “You’ll have to give the presentation today, then.”

The frail looking blonde peers up at me with wide eyes. “R-really, Mr. Montgomery?”

“Absolutely.” I give a firm nod. “These are your ideas. You should be the person to present them.”

She covers her mouth with her hand as if trying to regain composure. Finally, she stands and straightens her shoulders.

“Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down.”

She exits my office, and I’m left to figure out how to confront Emma Jane.

This time will be the final time I have to.

* * *

I’ve read, numerous times, how to generate an air of authority. How to lead. How to run a business and keep it thriving. How to fire employees effectively. How to negotiate.

Nothing I’ve ever read could prepare me for this moment. The only advantage I have is that I’ve arrived in Emma Jane’s office before her.

I hear her greet Ms. Mitchell, her tone energetic, with an air of excitement. Confident.

What a crock of shit.

Her heels sound lightly on the thin carpeting of her office, and I hear her draw to a surprised stop at the sight of me standing at the bank of windows. My back is to her, but I can see her reflection in the glass. She appears startled.

Good.

I turn slowly, and she raises her eyebrows in question before glancing over at the clock on the wall. “I figured they’d be here early, but I wasn’t expecting them this ea—”

“You’re going to act innocent?” My voice is deceptively quiet, low, dangerous with steely undertones.

Eyeing me warily, she reaches out to shut her office door behind her with a quiet click. She addresses me carefully. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

I huff out a humorless laugh, my gaze piercing hers. “You were planning on stealing an intern’s ideas and passing them off as your own? And you thought no one would find out? That she wouldn’t speak up?”

Emma Jane appears as though she’s been sucker punched but quickly composes herself, readjusting the shoulder strap of her briefcase. Pressing her lips thin, her eyes narrow in a frigid stare.

“What exactly are you talking about, Mr. Montgomery?”

My jaw clenches and unclenches tightly before I speak, forcing myself to hold an even, controlled tone. “Ms. Mitchell confided in me. She told me how you took her ideas and planned to pass them off as your own today, with Mr. Feldman and his partners.” I fold my arms across my chest and stare back at her. “She was in tears, not wanting to rock the boat since you’re her superior. She was worried about being classified as a snitch.”

Emma Jane’s lips purse as she nods slowly, almost thoughtfully. “And she was terribly upset over this, I’m sure.”

I make a derisive sound. “You’re not even going to deny it.” Shaking my head, I mutter, “I should have known.”

Her expression darkens mutinously. “You should have known? You?” She practically bites out the words. “It’s me who should have known better.”

I ignore her outburst. “Ms. Mitchell will be presenting to Mr. Feldman. I’ll explain to him that you had an emergency which took you out of the office. We’ll hash everything out with HR over your termination once the presentation is completed.”

Anger is radiating from Emma Jane—anger at being caught, surely—and she presses her lips thin as though searching for the right response. “I see you’ve got this all figured out.”

With pure disgust rushing through my veins, I nod. “I should’ve known better, Ms. Haywood. You betrayed me once, and you tried it yet again. But this time, you included Ms. Mitchell in the mix.”

“Right.” She speaks through clenched teeth.

When she turns to the door, just as her hand touches the handle, I challenge, “That’s it?” She freezes without turning back. “That’s all you’ve got to say for yourself?”

Whirling around, she narrows her eyes murderously. “Actually, no. That’s not all,” she practically snarls. “I’d like to say it’s mighty telling that you’d toss me under the bus and not even ask for my side of the story.” Stepping closer, she fixes a hard glare on me. “You clearly think I lack integrity and morals. Well, not to worry.” She lets out a humorless laugh. “I’m taking a personal day, and my resignation will be filed with HR first thing tomorrow.”

Emma Jane spins around, laying her hand on the doorknob but doesn’t immediately open it. Without looking back, she speaks in a voice devoid of all emotion.

“Oh, and be sure to enjoy slides fifteen, twenty-nine, thirty-three, and forty-six, Mr. Montgomery.”

She exits the office, leaving me standing here, perplexed by her cryptic words.

* * *

Emma Jane’s parting words still ricochet within my mind when I stride into the conference room to find Keri straightening up the multiple sets of presentation packets. Her eyes dart up, meeting mine as I draw to a stop at the opposite end of the table from where she stands.

“All set?”

“Yes, sir.” She punctuates this with a nod and a tight, nervous smile.

“Have you done a dry run? To prepare?” I ask casually.

“I went through my notes more than anything else. The slides have been all set from the get-go.”

“Do you mind if I take a quick look at the presentation?” I advance to where her laptop sits, hooked up to the projector.

“Uh, sure.”

There’s the slightest hitch of hesitation in her voice, and it prompts a sick churning in the pit of my stomach.

Reaching for the laptop’s keyboard, I brace one palm against the flat surface of the conference room table, using my other hand to navigate through the presentation slides on the computer. I scroll through them quickly until I land on slide fifteen.

The queasiness in my stomach escalates into full-blown nausea, and a cold sweat prickles my skin as I stare at the screen. Though I’m certain as to what I’ll find on slides twenty-nine, thirty-three, and forty-six, I still click on them, discovering the same small detail. It’s so subtle, one could easily miss it if they weren’t looking for it.

Quickly, I navigate and access my company email, searching for one in particular where Emma Jane had sent me a past proposal. I open the file attachment which details a proposal from well over two months ago. I scroll down a few pages before I see it yet again. The same detail I’ve discovered on her PowerPoint.

A goddamn watermark at the very bottom of the slide with the name, Emma Jane Haywood.

I’ve royally fucked up.

Dragging my eyes from the laptop screen, I regard Keri Mitchell, whose expression is now clouded with uncertainty. But before I can say a word, we’re interrupted by my secretary, announcing that Mr. Feldman and his partners have arrived.

Shit.

I rush to greet the three men before I guide Mr. Feldman to the side and lower my voice.

“Mr. Feldman, I apologize but Ms. Haywood’s been unexpectedly called away on an emergency.”

The older man appears concerned. “Is she all right?” Then he asks the million-dollar question. “Is there a chance she’ll be able to do the presentation tomorrow? I can only stay in town until late afternoon due to my schedule.”

“Oh, I’m sure her personal emergency will be taken care of, and she’ll be able to present tomorrow.”

As he and I discuss rescheduling, I internally pray that I can set things right with Emma Jane.

But first, I have to fire an intern.