Chapter 264

Julian Archer looked up from his screen again, gaze landing on Claire Richards with a faint smile. “Secretary Claire, this is the first time you've waited for me after hours.” Claire plopped down on the couch, inner voice screaming: Who in their right mind wants to clock out with the boss? She was technically off-duty—just switching him over to the “not-so-ordinary relationship” mode. “Boss, less talking, more working.” Julian chuckled. “Right, being slow at work—definitely my bad.” Claire: “…” That sounded low-key terrifying. Without replying, she popped in her earbuds and started scrolling through her phone. Totally unaware that casually doomscrolling in the CEO’s office took a special kind of guts. Julian turned back to finish his tasks, closing his laptop not long after. When he saw her sitting with her back to him, completely absorbed in her feed, he leaned over and pulled one earbud out. “Let’s go.” One ear was still bumping with music; the other now had this deep voice sliding i