“I’ll go away you to it.”

“Thanks.” Patrick nodded, and Emma left the workplace.

Over the remainder of the day, he bumped into Emma twice. The primary time was on the espresso machine within the kitchenette, the place they exchanged a well mannered {and professional} greeting, and the second was when she was ready on the elevator with a bunch of her colleagues as Patrick got here again from lunch. This time they simply nodded at one another, however Emma despatched him a smile that had Patrick grinning to himself all the way in which again to his workplace.

Possibly it was time to lean into this. Patrick nonetheless had his the reason why relationship was a foul concept and, particularly, why relationship an worker was a foul concept, however Emma was clearly particular. He stored getting distracted by ideas of her, and once they have been collectively, dialog flowed as simply as in the event that they’d identified one another for years. The considered kissing her was electrical.

And it was clear that Emma felt the identical means about him. He’d seen her going out of her approach to be close to him and the way in which she blushed when he complimented her. He’d seen how she smiled when she noticed him and the way she spoke as freely as he did.

Patrick and Emma have been two adults who clearly felt some form of connection. Maybe that was value exploring, regardless of all the explanations Patrick was hesitant to get entangled with anybody. Possibly simply this as soon as it was value a attempt.

What was the worst that would occur?

CHAPTER 9

EMMA

Emma appeared down at her costume and set free a sigh. She’d discovered the costume, which was a darkish blue, floor-length quantity, at a thrift retailer, but it surely was in good situation and appeared pretty. It solved considered one of her most important issues with the occasion, the truth that she had nothing to put on. The brand new drawback was that she felt like an imposter in it.

Patrick was in all probability going to suppose so, too. In any case, he was used to hobnobbing with CEOs and the generationally rich, not with underpaid (and at the moment unpaid) company spies. Worse, Emma couldn’t get her curls to behave. They stored leaping out of her bun as in the event that they have been simply as fearful concerning the occasion as she was. If she didn’t know higher, she’d suppose they have been making an attempt to flee.

Effectively, there was nothing for it. Emma made one final try to wrangle her hair and ended up with a half-up, half-down model that appeared passably polished. Then she smoothed her costume, grabbed her clutch, and left her studio. She’d insisted on attending to the occasion on her personal, which appeared like a horrible concept now that she was in heels and a night robe.

One lengthy bus experience later, she emerged onto the sidewalk outdoors of an artwork gallery she’d seen just a few instances in passing. It was lit up with white fairy lights that gave it a sublime and magical look. Emma picked her means up the steps, taking care to not twist an ankle, checked in with the greeters, and made it by safety.

Inside, the gallery was simply as pretty because it appeared from the road. It appeared much like different galleries she had visited up to now, with partitions stuffed with attractive artwork and the same old crowd of artwork aficionados. At first look, the artwork seemed to be largely portraits from quite a lot of time durations, however Emma didn’t have time to look at it intently simply but. She was distracted by the opposite visitors, who have been wearing elegant night robes and fits. They appeared simply as subtle because the artwork itself.

A fast look into the room subsequent door confirmed a set of spherical tables draped in tasteful burgundy tablecloths. On the entrance of that room was a small stage with a podium. A couple of folks have been seated on the tables, speaking and largely probably networking, however the room was nonetheless largely empty.

Emma appeared round for Patrick and rapidly noticed him standing with a bunch of well-dressed males. A bit nervously, she wove between the teams of visitors towards him. This night was far glitzier than any occasion she’d attended earlier than, and he or she was slightly fearful that she would possibly make a idiot of herself.

“Emma!” Patrick caught sight of her when she was about midway throughout the room and beckoned her over. Emma smiled at him and fell into step with the group. “Let me introduce you to everybody. That is Ruben Adams. He’s right here as a private collector this night, however he heads up Lightning Communications. Kareem Minat is the gallery proprietor.”

Emma shook arms with every man as Patrick launched them. She tried to take care of a assured smile, however she couldn’t assist feeling like a minnow making an attempt to swim with the whales.

“And that is Aleksander Ariti, a great buddy from school.” Patrick gestured to the final man, and Emma felt her coronary heart sink to her toes as she turned to face none apart from her blackmailer. Aleksander gave Emma a toothy smile and prolonged a hand. Emma’s abdomen turned.

“And that is Emma Reynolds, a rising star at LWC,” Patrick concluded with a smile at Emma.

Emma hardly noticed the smile, although. Her consideration was too targeted on Aleksander. What was he doing right here? He was an artwork collector, too, as she effectively knew, however why did he should be right here? Now?

“Good to satisfy you,” Aleksander mentioned. Emma observed with a jolt that his hand was nonetheless prolonged and reached out to shake it. His grip was just a bit too agency to be comfy. “Emma, was it?”

You realize all too effectively what my identify is, Emma needed to say. However she simply nodded.

“Sure. Good to satisfy you, too.”

“What our pricey Patrick fails to say is that in addition to being a school buddy of his, I’m additionally the top of Ariti Industries. I’m unsure in the event you’re acquainted with our model?” Aleksander gave Emma an overdone expression of curiosity. He was toying together with her. And, from the glint in his eye, he was having fun with himself.

“I’ve heard of it.” Emma accepted a glass of wine from a passing waiter with a fast “Thanks.” She wanted some liquid braveness to maintain herself standing right here and speaking to Aleksander.

“Effectively, our present declare to fame is being the biggest investor in up-and-coming artwork within the Midwest,” Aleksander continued. “Which, if I’m not mistaken, implies that we beat out LWC.”

“Effectively,” Patrick flashed an insincere smile. “That’s true sufficient, however I believe we additionally want to contemplate the standard of the acquired artwork. Weren’t just a few of your items not too long ago uncovered as having doubtful provenance?”

Aleksander shot a take a look at Emma, however she simply appeared down at her glass. She clearly hadn’t mentioned something concerning the Girl in White, the portray she’d been investigating when Aleksander caught her in his workplace just a few weeks in the past. But it appeared that solid provenance wasn’t precisely a brand new concept for Ariti Industries — another person should have uncovered related misconduct.

Aleksander waved a hand dismissively. “Unproven allegations solely. You know the way folks prefer to make a fuss once they lose.”

Supply: www.seynovel.com