Chapter 36
Valeria stopped the waitstaff bringing coffee service, offering to handle distribution herself
When
no one was looking, she discreetly pulled a small packet from her designer purse and emptied it into one of the cups [
Finally, her little insurance policy was about to pay dividends
She carefully arranged the cups on the tray and personally served them to the table.
Valeria handed Marco Parker his cup first, then made a deliberate show of giving Lorraine her specially prepared brew
She caught Lorraine’s eyes with a loaded smile that practically screamed trouble
Every instinct Lorraine had developed over the years started screaming warnings
Wherever Valeria showed up, chaos followed like her personal pet.]]
The girl had just been dragged through the mud across every social platform, yet instead of hiding in shame, she’d forced her way into this business dinner
She was
was definitely up to something.
Lorraine accepted the coffee cup, immediately noticing something off about the rich aroma–there was an underlying chemical scent that didn’t belong.
Without drawing attention, she set the cup down and fussed with her napkin
“Not a coffee fan, gorgeous? Parker’s voice had a sly undertone that made her skin crawl. This is top–shelf Colombian–smooth going down, with a real kick to it.”
The way he emphasized certain words made it clear he wasn’t just talking about caffeine
“Please, enjoy yours first, Mr. Parker.” Lorraine smiled with practiced politeness
Parker grinned and knocked back his entire cup like a shot. “That’s how you do it, sweetheart Life’s too short to sip.”
Valeria watched with barely contained glee as she delicately sipped her own coffee.
Lorraine brought her cup toward her lips, then “accidentally knocked it with her elbow. The hot liquid splashed across her hand and designer dress, Immediately raising angry red welts[]
She hissed in genuine pain. “Shit! I’m so sorry–I need to take care of this.“[]
She bolted toward the restroom, leaving behind the barely–touched drugged coffee
Valoria’s eyes narrowed as she watched the hasty retreat [
Did that bitch somehow figure out what was happening?
The timing seemed way too convenient
But seeing the cup still mostly full on the table, Valeria forced herself to relax and turned her attention to charming Parker.
“Don’t mind Ana–she’s always been clumsy under pressure,” she purred, leaning forward to give him a better view. “Tell me more about your business, Mr. Parker. I find successful man so fascinating.”
Parker perked up immediately. This Valeria chick was much more his speed–eager to please and clearly DTF]
Maybe the night wasn’t a total bust after all]
Outside the private dining room, Lorraine exhaled shakily.
She’d dodged a bullet, but barely
Heading toward the ladies‘ room to treat her burn, she slammed directly into what felt like a concrete wal
wall
“Oof!” She stumbled backward, ready to apologize, then looked up into achingly familiar dark eyes.
The restaurant’s mood lighting made his sharp features look even more devastating than usual.
“Cassian!” Her voice came out more breathless than she intended.
Relief flooded through her so intensely it was almost dizzying
Seeing her flushed face and obvious distress, Cassian’s expression immediately shifted to protective concern.]
“Hey, what a crazy coincidence.” His voice was carefully casual, but she could see the worry in his eyes. “You okay? You look rattled.“[]
Actually, this “coincidence” had been carefully orchestrated from the moment Phillips discovered Lorraine would be dining with Marco Parker
Learning she’d be alone with that predator had made Cassian’s blood pressure spike dangerously
fle’d immediately arranged drinks with rinsen at the same restaurant, positioning himself as backup without interfering directly with her work
The fact that their cocktail menu was excellent was purely secondary.]
But he didn’t want Lorraine feeling like he was being controlling, so he was playing it off as pure chance
Tm…” she started, then realized how badly she needed him right now. “Actually, I’m really glad you’re here. This dinner is turning into a nightmare.”
Cassian stopped closer, his presence immediately making her feel safer. “What kind of nightmare? Someone giving you trouble?“]
The protective edge in his voice made her heart race for entirely different reasons than fear
“It’s complicated,” she said quietly, glancing back toward the dining room. “But seeing you here it’s like the universe threw me a lifeline.
His jaw tightened as he put the pieces together. “Where’s your dinner? I’ll walk you back.“]
“Actually,” Lorraine said with sudden clarity. “I think I’m done with business for tonight.“[]
