Chapter 68 The Decision

• The gardens looked magical at dusk. I'd always loved this place—the winding paths, the hidden alcoves, the scent of jasmine and night-blooming cereus hanging heavy in the air. This was where Michael had first asked me to dinner, nervously stammering through a request that made the powerful CEO seem endearingly human.
• Now I walked these same paths with purpose, my heart hammering against my ribs.
• Michael waited by the stone fountain, just as we'd arranged. He stood with his back to me, shoulders tense beneath his tailored jacket. Even from behind, I could read his anxiety in the set of his spine, the way he kept checking his watch.