In one fluid motion, Braxton broke the kiss and shoved Elodie to the side. He hit a hidden panel in the wood paneling near the window. A section of the wall slid open silently.
He pushed her into the darkness.
"Stay," he hissed.
The panel slid shut just as the conference room door swung open.
Elodie stumbled in the dark, falling to her knees. It was a narrow observation room, used for monitoring negotiations. A one-way mirror spanned the length of the wall.
She looked through the glass. She was inches away from them, but invisible.
Braxton was standing by the window, looking at his watch. He looked perfectly composed, though Elodie noticed his chest rising and falling slightly faster than normal.
Caroline walked in. She looked around the empty room.
"Where did she go?" Caroline asked, her voice suspicious.
"I sent her away," Braxton said, turning to face her. "She was unprofessional. Attempted to solicit one of the investors for private work after the meeting. It's a security risk I won't tolerate in this building."
Elodie gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. The lie was so smooth, so corporate, so much more damning than calling her incompetent.
"Really?" Caroline walked over to him. She placed a hand on his chest, right where Elodie's hands had been seconds ago. Her eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of disbelief that she quickly masked. "I thought she was quite... spirited."
"She's a liability," Braxton said coldly. "I don't want her in this building again."
"Fine by me." Caroline smiled. She ran her hand down his lapel. "I just came back to grab my sunglasses. And to remind you... dinner with my father tonight. Don't be late."
"I'll be there."
Caroline stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. Elodie felt bile rise in her throat. She watched as the woman who had tormented her in high school touched the man who owned her now.
Caroline turned to leave. As she reached the door, she paused. She looked back at the mirror. For a second, her eyes seemed to lock directly onto Elodie's. A shiver ran down Elodie's spine.
Did she know?
Caroline smirked and walked out.
Braxton waited a full minute. Then he walked over and hit the panel release.
The wall opened. Light flooded in.
Elodie scrambled to her feet. She felt dirty. Used.
"Unprofessional?" she spat, stepping out.
Braxton ignored her anger. He walked to his desk and sat down. "You're lucky I didn't let her find you. Do you know what she would do to you?"
"I don't care about her!"
"You should. She controls the social scene in this city. She could make sure your mother never gets a bed in a decent facility again."
Elodie went still. "You wouldn't let that happen."
Braxton looked at papers on his desk. He didn't answer.
The silence was the answer.
"You're a monster," Elodie whispered.
"I'm a businessman, Elodie. And you breached our contract by working for anyone else." He looked up. "Consider your allowance suspended for the month."
"What?" Elodie gripped the edge of the table. "Braxton, no. The nursing home bill is due on Friday!"
"Then maybe you should ask your Spanish friend for a loan."
He picked up a pen. "Get out."
Elodie stared at him. The cruelty was breathtaking. He was punishing her for trying to survive.
She turned and ran. She ran past Geoff, past the elevator bank, to the stairwell. She ran down ten flights of stairs before her legs gave out and she collapsed on the concrete landing, sobbing into her hands.
