Chapter 22

Calista had known for a long time that Noah was in love with Patricia. She had felt it from the very first moment. It began the day he broke company protocol to hire Patricia, despite her being completely unqualified for the position. Her interview had been a mess—rambling responses, half-formed thoughts, and no relevant credentials. Yet he hired her anyway. That alone made it obvious Patricia was different. As time passed, his favoritism only grew more blatant. There was nothing professional about the way Noah looked at Patricia. His gaze held a softness, a quiet indulgence no boss should ever show an employee. There was always a faint, sweet citrus scent clinging to him. It was a fragrance Calista had only ever smelled on Patricia. But given how little time they had spent together and always at a polite, professional distance, there was no way the scent could have lingered on him so strongly by accident. Then there was the brown, slightly curled strand of hair she once found