The heavy mahogany doors of the executive floor clicked shut behind Jayden Lin, sealing away the hushed murmur of the corporate world outside. He smoothed the lapels of his tailored charcoal suit, letting out a breath he felt like he'd been holding since noon. The luncheon with Arthur Parker—the notoriously pedantic head of the Design Association—had been a masterclass in diplomacy, exhausting every ounce of his patience as they locked horns over a high-stakes design scandal that threatened to derail his latest architectural venture.
Jayden had deliberately chosen to face Parker alone. Sarah had enough on her plate, and his protective instincts—however much he tried to cloak them under the guise of professional courtesy—revolted at the thought of exposing her to Parker's razor-sharp condescension. He had intended to handle the mess, return quietly, and collapse into the soothing, unpretentious warmth of her presence.
