Chapter 30

Claire's POV The message came through my computer with the sharp ping that indicated an urgent communication from the executive level: "Report to my office immediately. - T. Valmont" I stared at the screen for a moment, my stomach dropping. I already knew what this was about. The email that had arrived in my inbox an hour ago—a routine request for quarterly reports that I hadn't responded to with my usual lightning speed. In the past, I would have replied within minutes, eager to prove my efficiency and dedication. Now, I had deliberately waited, focusing on other tasks first, anything to maintain some semblance of emotional distance. Since that night at the restaurant, after getting my answer from Theo in the most humiliating way possible, I had been burying myself in work. Not because I cared about impressing him anymore, but because it was the only way I knew how to protect myself. Keep busy, stay focused, treat him like any other boss giving orders to any other employee. Before hea