Ambergris Locakboxes Traveled Salt Routes by Hugh Calder 65
Chapter Sixty–Five No Personal Closeness
+25 Bonus
Becky didn’t wait for another word. She spun on her heel and hurried out of the office.
Left alone, Tina let out a sharp breath. Her chest rose and fell as she turned toward the private restroom. connected to her office.
She pushed the door open and stood in front of the vanity mirror.
Her reflection stared back at her–beautiful, flawless, yet shaken.
Her long, silky blonde hair was slightly disheveled, no longer perfect. She reached for her brush and ran it through the strands again and again until they fell neatly down her back. She reapplied her highlighter, adding more glow to her cheekbones, then refreshed her lipstick with carefulness.
She studied herself closely.
There was no denying it–she was stunning.
Tina possessed the kind of beauty that demanded attention. The kind that pulled people in effortlessly. Men noticed her without trying. That had always been her strength.
And yet Cassienne was different.
Cassienne didn’t need to try.
She didn’t need loud beauty or careful polishing. She carried a quiet confidence now, one that turned heads without effort. That was what made Tina hate her even more.
She preferred the old Cassienne–the clumsy woman who hid behind plain clothes, who never competed, who stayed in the background. This new Cassienne–confident, admired and respected–felt like a personal threat.
Straightening her shoulders, Tina walked back into her office.
Instead of waiting for Becky to return, she made a decision. She would see for herself.
As she marched toward Dreston’s office, Janet appeared halfway down the hall and greeted her politely.
“Good afternoon, Miss Ack-”
Tina walked straight past her without a glance.
Inside Dreston’s office, Cassienne had just stood up. The meeting was clearly over. She adjusted the tablet in her hand and turned toward the door.
Dreston followed closely behind her.
As Cassienne reached for the handle, the door suddenly flew open with force.
The impact startled her.
She gasped as she lost her balance, stumbling backward. For a split second, she was falling…
Dreston reacted instantly.
His hands shot forward, one gripping her waist firmly, the other catching her shoulder. He pulled her against him, steadying her before she could hit the floor.
The movement was fast. Instinctive.
And it was intimate.
Chapter Sixty–Five No Personal Closeness
+25 Bonus
Cassienne’s lips brushed against his suit as she fell into him, leaving a clear red lipstick stain on the dark fabric.
The room froze for a moment. Tina stood at the doorway, her eyes wide.
Not just in shock. But in fury.
Her expression twisted into something dangerous–something that looked very much like she was about to destroy someone.
admin