The black town car was silent, gliding through the rain-slicked streets of the city like a shark through dark water. Inside, Britney felt like a specimen under glass. The emerald silk of her dress whispered against the leather seat, a constant, luxurious reminder of the debt she now owed and the role she was about to play. Across from her, Klaus scrolled through financial reports on his tablet, the blue light etching the severe lines of his face in the dim interior. He hadn't said a word since she'd gotten in the car, her small clutch feeling absurdly inadequate in her lap.
He was in a classic tuxedo, and it was frankly unfair how good he looked. It wasn't just the fit of the jacket across his shoulders; it was the way he wore it like a second skin, an uniform of ultimate authority. He belonged in this world of silent cars and black-tie events. She felt like an imposter, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
The car pulled up under the grand awning of the Metropolitan Museum. Paparazzi flashes exploded like lightning, shouting questions she couldn't decipher. Klaus exited first, then turned and offered her his hand.
It wasn't a gentle gesture. It was a transaction. A necessary part of the performance.
She placed her hand in his. His grip was firm, cool, and impersonal, a steady anchor in the chaotic glare. He didn't tuck her arm into his; he simply guided her forward, a CEO and his plus-one entering the battlefield. The shouts coalesced into words.
"Mr. Smith! Who's your date?"
"Klaus! Over here!"
"Is this serious, Klaus?"
He ignored them all, his expression one of bored indifference. Britney kept her head high, a small, polite smile fixed on her face, just as Ms. Laurent had coached. "Don't look at them, darling. Look through them. You have every right to be there."
They passed through the gauntlet and into the hushed, soaring grandeur of the museum's entrance hall. The shift was jarring. The noise outside was replaced by the soft murmur of conversation, the clink of champagne flutes, and the swell of a string quartet. The room was a kaleidoscope of jewels, designer gowns, and the confident, polished faces of the city's elite.
And then she saw them.
The Finch family formed a perfect, glittering tableau near a colossal ancient statue. James, jovial and commanding, shook hands with a senator. Lora, serene and elegant, listened to another socialite. And Serene—Serene was a vision in icy blue silk, her laugh tinkling like crystal as she touched the arm of a young tech billionaire.
Britney's breath caught. For a moment, she was that girl from the outside looking in again. The intruder.
Klaus's hand, still loosely holding hers, gave a slight, almost imperceptible squeeze. It wasn't comforting. It was a prompt. Focus.
As if on cue, Serene's gaze swept across the room and landed on them. Her brilliant smile didn't falter, but it tightened at the edges, her eyes turning glacial. She leaned in and whispered something to her mother. Lora's gaze followed, her expression registering mild, polite curiosity before she turned back to her conversation.
James, however, spotted them and his face lit up with genuine delight. He excused himself and started making his way toward them.
"Klaus! So glad you could make it," James boomed, clapping Klaus on the shoulder. His eyes then shifted to Britney, warm and appreciative. "And Miss Carter. A pleasure to see you again. That emerald is stunning. You clean up rather well."
"Thank you, Mr. Finch," Britney said, her voice thankfully steady. "It's a magnificent event."
"We do try," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Lora's passion project." He looked between her and Klaus, a knowing glint in his eye. "I must say, I'm not surprised Klaus snapped you up. Sharp mind like yours? Titan's gain is publishing's loss!"
Klaus didn't correct him. He didn't confirm their relationship either. He simply offered a non-committal hum. "The Verity acquisition has… synergies with the Foundation's goals. It's efficient to have my lead analyst on the details present."
Lead analyst. The promotion kept getting more real.
"Of course, of course," James said, though he looked slightly amused, as if he didn't believe the corporate rationale for a second. "Well, don't let me keep you. Enjoy the evening!" He moved on, leaving them in a slightly awkward bubble.
"He likes you," Klaus observed quietly, his eyes tracking James's movement through the crowd.
"He likes the idea of talent," Britney corrected softly.
"It's a start," Klaus replied, his attention already shifting to a group of investors approaching them.
The evening became a blur. Klaus moved through the crowd with predatory grace, and Britney was pulled in his wake. He introduced her not as "my intern" or "my date," but simply as "Britney Carter," sometimes adding "she's handling the Verity acquisition." It was a subtle but powerful endorsement that forced people to see her as a professional.
She answered questions about patent law and market synergies, her nerves gradually settling as she fell back on the solid ground of her expertise. She was holding her own.
Then, during a brief moment when Klaus was pulled into a deeper conversation about stock valuations, Serene materialized beside her, a fresh glass of champagne in hand.
"Well, well. You certainly… committed to the part," Serene said, her sweet voice laced with venom as her eyes raked over Britney's dress. "Rental places have really stepped up their game. Or does Titan have an expense account for… accessories?"
Britney took a small sip of her water. "I find it's better to invest in quality, don't you? It lasts longer." She let her gaze flick over Serene's gown. "Some things are timeless. Others just look it for a season."
Serene's smile tightened. "Cute. Really. Tell me, does he quiz you on corporate bylaws between courses? Or is the conversation as thrilling as he is?"
Before Britney could retort, Klaus's voice cut in, cool and flat. "The conversation is adequate."
He had returned, sliding a hand possessively—or perhaps just strategically—onto the small of Britney's back. The touch was electric, sending a shock through the silk of her dress. Serene's eyes dropped to his hand, her face paling slightly.
"Serene," Klaus acknowledged, his tone implying she was a mildly interesting piece of furniture.
"Klaus," she purred, recovering quickly. "I was just admiring your… analyst's spirit. It's so refreshingly… tenacious."
"Tenacity is a valuable asset," he replied, his gaze boring into her. "It's often the difference between perceived entitlement and earned success. Don't you agree?"
It was a direct, brutal hit. Serene's mask slipped completely for a second, revealing pure, undiluted fury. She had nothing to say. She simply forced a brittle smile and melted back into the crowd.
Britney let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. The hand on her back remained for a moment longer, a warm, steadying weight.
"You didn't have to do that," she murmured.
"I did," he said, his hand dropping away. The loss of contact was strangely jarring. "She was undermining my asset in a public forum. It was an inefficient use of my time to allow it to continue."
My asset. Of course. That was all it was.
But as they turned to leave the gala later, his hand returned to the small of her back to guide her through the crowd. And when a reporter shouted, "Are you and Titan's new legal counsel an item, Mr. Smith?" he didn't ignore it.
He paused, looked directly at the reporter, and said, "Miss Carter is one of my most valuable analysts. That is the only 'item' of interest tonight."
It was a dismissal. A deflection. But as he helped her into the waiting car, his words echoed in the silent space between them. He'd called her valuable. And for now, in the quiet darkness of the car, with the ghost of his touch still warm on her back, that felt like more than enough.