Page 53 of In A Mood For Mr. Wrong

For the first time in days, we’re not justGrayson and Margot, the couple who might not survive this. We’reGrayson and Margot, the team that doesn’t lose, and Eleanor is about to find out exactly what that means.

Later in my office,Margot and I haven’t had a moment alone since the meeting with Cassian and Isabella. Now, we’re standing in my office, surrounded by financial reports and legal documents, but all I can focus on isher. The way she’s biting her lip, deep in thought. The way she keeps tapping her pen against the edge of my desk. The way her hair falls over her shoulder when she leans down to scan the papers in front of her. I should be thinking about strategy. About the company. About Eleanor. But all I can think about isus.

Margot finally exhales, looking up at me. “This is going to get messy.”

I nod. “It already is.”

She hesitates. “You know I didn’t want to keep the truth from you, right?”

I grip the edge of my desk, inhaling slowly. “I know.”

She studies me. “But you’re still mad.”

I meet her gaze. “Yeah.”

She swallows. “Will you ever forgive me?”

I exhale, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t know, Margot.”

She lets out a quiet breath, but I see the hurt in her eyes. And damn it, itkillsme. She nods once, like she’s accepting my answer, even though I know it’s not what she wanted to hear. “Then let’s focus on winning.”

I could leave it at that. I should. But I don’t. I step closer, lowering my voice. “Do you regret it?”

Her breath catches. “Regret what?”

“Not telling me sooner.”

Her fingers tighten around the edge of the desk. “Every second.” That answer shouldn’t affect me the way it does. It shouldn’t make my chest ache. It shouldn’t make me want to pull her against me and erase the space between us. But it does. I reach out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She stills at my touch, her eyes searching mine, waiting. I want to kiss her. I want to forget, even for just a moment, that everything between us is broken. But I can’t. Not yet. I drop my hand, stepping back. “Then let’s make sure it wasn’t for nothing.”

Margot blinks, like she was expecting something else, maybe something softer, maybe something more, but she just nods.

“Yeah,” she whispers. “Let’s.” And just like that, we go back to pretending. Pretending thatPerfectly Matchedis theonly thing we need to fix. Pretending that we don’t both want something more. Pretending that we aren’t still in love.

39

MARGOT

Ishouldn’t still feel the ghost of Grayson’s touch on my skin, not after everything. Not after the hurt, the anger, the betrayal still thick in the air between us. But as I walk out of his office, my heart pounding in my chest, I swear I can still feel the way his fingers brushed against my skin, the way his breath hitched before he pulled away. He almost kissed me, and I almost let him. God, what am I doing?

I press a hand to my chest, as if I can calm the chaos inside me, but it only makes it worse.

Because the truth is, I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to forget the fight and the betrayal. And yet, as I stand in the empty hallway, I realize something far more terrifying: I’m scared of losing him. The man who saw me before I saw myself. Who pushed me, infuriated me, and made me feel like I could actually do this, build something real and be something more. If I lose him now, not just the company, not just the future we dreamed of, buthim, I don’t know if I’ll recover and maybe that’s what scares me the most.

I shake my head, forcing myself to focus as I step into the main offices ofPerfectly Matched. There is no time for lingeringtension or stolen moments that don’t mean anything when the world around us is falling apart. Eleanor is still circling like a shark. The board is still waiting for me to make a decision, and if I don’t act soon, there won’t be anything left to fight for. I inhale deeply, adjusting my blazer as I stride toward Olivia’s desk. She is typing furiously, her dark-rimmed glasses perched at the edge of her nose, a phone tucked between her shoulder and ear.

“…no, I don’t care what spin they’re trying to push,” she snaps. “You tell the investors thatPerfectly Matchedis stronger than ever, and if they want the details, they can wait for our official statement.”

She glances up, clocking my presence, and immediately ends the call.

“Tell me you have something,” I say, crossing my arms.

Olivia sighs, rubbing her temples. “Eleanor is moving faster than we anticipated. She’s already lining up support from three major board members, and I have confirmation she’s setting up a private meeting withsomeonein the next twenty-four hours. We don’t know who yet, but my guess? It’s whoever she’s backing for CEO.”

My jaw tightens. “So we find out who it is and get to them first.”

Olivia nods. “That’s the goal. But we have another problem.”

Of course we do.

---