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“So them every day”

“Our—? Oh, right” Clair forced herself back to the conversation Lawyers Not just her friend deceased but the boss and owner, leaving the place on tiptoes of tension She’d noticed the ain hunters at a fire sale didn’t help Clair decided she didn’t like that trespasser of a man

Abby glanced around before hunching even closer “Clair? I’ Mr Van Eych must be hard for y—”

“It’s fine Don’t worry about it,” Clair disht s up walls was a protective reflex, an automatic reaction that probably accounted for why no one ever sent her flowers or love notes She wasn’t good at being close to people That hy she’d let herself fall into a fake romance with Victor He’d offered companionship without the de her fro to ht No chance of pain

Ha

That Russian would ht, and her stomach dipped even as she wondered where her speculation had come from No ould she let someone like that into her private life He was a one-way ticket to a broken heart Forget him

Nevertheless, trepidation weakened her knees as she looked toward her office, the direction he’d taken Silly to be afraid He would already have forgotten her

“I’ll check in with Mr Turner,” Clair said, holding the smile of confident warmth she’d perfected as Victor’s PA “If I’, I will”

“Thank you” Abby’s worried brow relaxed

Clair walked away, deter her coat and bent to tuck her purse into her desk drawer before Mr Turner appeared in the doorway Waxen paleness underpinned the flags of red in his sagging cheeks

Clair stood to attention, heart sinking with intuitive fear “What’s wrong?”

“You’re to report to—” He ran a hand over his thinning hair “The nener”