Chapter 7
“Good.”
She returned to her report.
Dominic walked away, thoroughly confused.
The next morning, the elegant brunette appeared beside Claire’s desk.
“Claire Morgan?”
Claire stood.
“Yes?”
The woman smiled warmly.
“Natalie Vale-Moretti.”
Claire shook her hand.
Then Natalie added, “Dominic’s younger sister.”
Claire froze.
“Sister?”
Natalie laughed.
“Yes. Although judging by your expression, that wasn’t the relationship you’d been told about.”
Claire felt heat rise into her face.
“I wasn’t told anything.”
“People gossip.”
“Apparently.”
Natalie’s eyes sparkled.
“I kept my married name after my divorce. It causes endless confusion.”
Claire wished the floor would open beneath her.
Then a familiar voice came from behind them.
“Interesting.”
Dominic stood in the doorway.
Claire closed her eyes.
“Don’t.”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“Your face has.”
Natalie looked between them.
Her smile widened.
“Oh, this is wonderful.”
“Natalie,” Dominic warned.
“What? I’m delighted. Someone finally makes you nervous.”
Claire grabbed a stack of papers.
“I have a meeting.”
She hurried away.
Natalie watched her disappear.
Then she turned to her brother.
“You’re in trouble.”
Dominic frowned.
“Why?”
“Because she likes you.”
He glanced toward the corridor.
“She does?”
Natalie shook her head.
“Good grief. You’re worse at this than I thought.”
Unfortunately, not everyone found Dominic’s interest in Claire amusing.
Rebecca Sloan, Claire’s department manager, had spent six years taking credit for work she hadn’t done.
Claire solved payroll disputes.
Rebecca presented the results.
Claire identified compliance failures.
Rebecca sent the reports to senior management.
Claire stayed late correcting mistakes.
Rebecca received bonuses for keeping the department efficient.
The arrangement had worked because Claire never demanded attention.
Then Dominic Vale began asking her questions directly.
And senior executives started doing the same.
Rebecca noticed immediately.
She also noticed the coffee.
The flowers.
The conversations.
The way Dominic’s expression softened whenever Claire entered a room.
One afternoon, Rebecca stopped beside her desk.
“You’ve become quite visible lately.”
Claire looked up.
“Meaning?”
Rebecca smiled.
“Nothing. It’s just remarkable how quickly certain people gain the attention of senior management.”
Claire’s fingers tightened around her pen.
“My work has always been available for review.”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
Rebecca walked away.
Claire stared after her.
She knew exactly what was happening.
Her manager couldn’t challenge the quality of her work.
So she was beginning to challenge the reason anyone noticed it.
Two weeks later, the situation exploded.
The quarterly executive review was held in the top-floor conference room.