Love lies and a billionaire’s secret

CHAPTER FORTY–FIVE A GLIMPSE BEHIND THE MASK

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Nia turned to see the event planner striding towards her, a look of mild panic on her face. “I’ll get them right away, Madame Rosseau, Nia said quickly.

When she turned back, Justin had disappeared into the crowd once more.

As the evening wore on, Nia found herself stealing glances at Justin whenever she could. She tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting back to the warmth of his smile, the brief touch of his hand.

The orchestra struck up a waltz, and couples began to fill the dance floor. Nia stood at the edge of the room, watching the swirling gowns and sharp tuxedos with a mixture of admiration and longing.

Suddenly, she noticed Justin making his way towards her. Her heart began to race as he drew closer. Was -he going to ask her to dance? The thought both thrilled and terrified her.

Just as Justin opened his mouth to speak, Madame Rosseau appeared at Nia’s side, her face flushed with agitation. All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

“Nia, there you are!” the event planner exclaimed. “We have a situation with the silent auction. I need your to handle it immediately.”

Nia’s heart sank as she watched Justin’s face fall. “Of course, Madame Rosseau,” she said, forcing a smile. “I’ll take care of it right away.”

As she followed Madame Rosseau to the auction area, Nia couldn’t help but look back at Justin. He was watching her go, a look of disappointment clear on his face.

The rest of the evening passed in a whirlwind of small crises and constant motion. Nia barely had a moment to catch her breath, let alone seek out Justin again. Before she knew it, the last strains of music were fading away, and guests were beginning to trickle out.

Nia stood near the exit, bidding farewell to the departing attendees. Her feet ached, and she could feel a headache forming behind her eyes, but she maintained her professional smile.

“Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed your evening,” she said to a couple as they passed.”

As the crowd thinned, Nia allowed herself a small sigh of relief. She had made it through the night without any major disasters. Now all that was left was the cleanup…

Suddenly, a hand grasped hers, pulling her away from the door. Nia gasped in surprise as she found herself being led into a quiet alcove, partially hidden by a large potted plant.

It was Justin, his eyes twinkling mischievously in the dim light. “I’ve been wanting to do this all night,” he murmured, leaning in close.

Nia’s heart pounded in her chest as Justin’s face drew nearer. She could smell his cologne, a heady mix of citrus and wood. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt his breath on her lips.

Just as their lips were about to meet, a loud crash shattered the moment. Nia jumped back, her eyes flying open to see a waiter scrambling to pick up a fallen tray of glasses nearby.

Justin chuckled softly, his hand still holding Nia’s. “To be continued,” he whispered, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze before slipping back into the thinning crowd.

Nia leaned against the wall, her cheeks flaming and her heart racing. She touched her lips, still tingling from Justin’s near–kiss. What had just happened? And more importantly, what did it mean?

CHAPTERFORTYFIVE AGLIMPSE BETOND THE MASK

As she emerged from the alcove, trying to compose herself, Nia spotted Madame Rosseau heading her. way. She straightened her dress and plastered on a professional smile, pushing thoughts of Justin to the back of her mind. There was still work to be done.

Several days later, Nia found herself pushing her cleaning cart down the famillar hallway of Colossius Tech’s executive floor, Her mind was still replaying the almost–kiss with Justin from the gala, analyzing every detail for the hundredth time.

As she approached Leon Allistair’s office, she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “Focus, Nia,” she muttered to herself. “You’re here to clean, not daydream.”

She was so distracted that she nearly jumped out of her skin when Leon cleared his throat as she entered

his office.

“Nia, just the person I wanted to see,” he said, a warm smile spreading across his face.

Nia’s hand flew to her chest, her heart racing. “Mr. Allistair! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were here. can come back later if you’d prefer.”

Leon waved off her concern. “Not at all, Nia. In fact, I’m glad I caught you. I have some news I think you’ll be interested in.”

Nia’s brow furrowed in confusion. What could Leon Allistair possibly have to tell her? “Sir?”

Leon leaned back, in his chair, his smile widening. “As you know, Colossius Tech believes in rewarding hard work and dedication. We have a tradition of sending our top performers on a luxury cruise as a way of saying thank you.”

Nia nodded, still not understanding where this was going. “That sounds wonderful, sir.”

“Well, Nia,” Leon continued, “your exceptional work on the gala has not gone unnoticed. The board and I agree that you’ve more than earned a spot on this year’s cruise.”

Nia’s mouth dropped open in shock. She stared at Leon, certain she must have misheard him. “I… what? Me? On the cruise?”

Leon chuckled at her reaction. “Yes, you, Nia. You’ve impressed a lot of people around here. This is our way of showing our appreciation.”

H

Nia’s mind was whirling. A luxury cruise? Her? She stammered out a response, “Mr. Allistair, I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you, but… I mean, how can I possibly… What about my job here? And my probation officer? 1 don’t think I can just…”

Leon held up a hand, cutting off her rambling. “Nia, take a breath. We’ve thought of everything. All expenses are covered, including appropriate attire for the cruise. As for time off, it’s already been approved. Your position here will be waiting for you when you return.”

Nia blinked rapidly, trying to process this information. “And… my probation officer?”

“We’ve already spoken with them,” Leon assured her. “Given your exemplary behavior and the nature of this reward, they’ve agreed to make an exception. You’re free to go, Nia.”

Tears pricked at Nia’s eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Mr. Allistair, I… thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know how to repay this kindness.”

Leon stood up, coming around his desk to place a gentle hand on Nia’s shoulder. “You’ve already repaid it with your hard work, Nia. You’ve earned this. Now, why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’m sure you have some planning to do.”

Nia nodded, still in a daze. “Yes, sir. Thank you again. I, I won’t let you down.”

CHAPTER LOFTYTIVE A GLIMPSE BEHIND THE MASK

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As she left Leon’s office, pushing her forgotten cleaning cart, Nia felt as though she were walking on air. A luxury cruise? It seemed too good to be true,

Later that evening, Nia sát on her small bed in her studio apartment, still trying to wrap her head around the day’s events. She had spent the afternoon in a fog, alternating between excitement and anxiety about the upcoming trip.

As she was changing out of her work uniform, her phone pinged with a new message. Nia’s heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from Justin