Page 4 of His Jewel

Chapter Three

Ruby

The call had come out of the blue, but in her experience, all the best things did. And it was a sign. It was a sign that she was on the right path. Finally. It wasn’t the job. Oh, no. It was the opportunity the job presented to her on a silver platter.

She squinted against the bright sunlight coming off the office building like a spotlight. Private Housing Corp. Run by the billionaire bastard himself. Oh, yes, she’d heard all about him. Her stepdad had filled her in on Josh Hall’s shady dealings, stealing clients from his successful agency based in London.

In the reflection of the doors, she adjusted her outfit. She’d gone for a black skirt and blazer combination, the only pop of color coming from her red stilettos and lips. Hey, with a name like Ruby, she might as well lean into the color, right? Besides, it was kind of her trademark at this point. If any of her friends or family saw her without her red lips, they would think something was wrong, or she was ill. Hell, that was how her loved ones had guessed she’d broken up with Gary. She didn’t think break up was an appropriate word for the heartache that coursed through her when she saw the messages from his colleague. The one she’d been concerned about for months, and he’d made her feel crazy for feeling that way. Now, a year on, the cheaters were happily married with a kid on the way, and she still felt as if she were putting herself back together. No, not because he was her soul mate, her one true love ... it was the betrayal, the lies, it made her question everything and everyone.

It also prompted her to move to New York for a fresh start. It wasn’t like her family was going to be far behind. Her parents were opening up an office in New York in less than a year for their luxury real estate company, finding the rich and famous houses. Her parents had offered her a job there after she’d finished college. She’d done admin for a few years and then moved to a PA position, but now,now, she was ready to actually use her degree. Journalism. She’d had a few freelance pieces published, but this was her big break. As soon as her dad had overheard her telling her mom about her call with Alana, he jumped on the call, telling her that she was to work undercover and write a hit piece on Josh Hall and all of his questionable practices. She’d laughed at him, actually laughed, but he’d been serious. And now, one week later, here she was, about to attend her interview with the devil himself. Okay, maybe devil was a bit of a stretch. Greedy, arrogant bastard. There—that suited him better. At least he was a Brit, that was the only thing he had going for him. She missed the accent.

She carried on using the window like it was her own personal mirror, running her fingers through her chestnut waves and tidying her eyeshadow with her pinky. The buzz of her phone brought her out of her preening reverie.

Alana.

Shit.

Her first friend in New York, and she’d made sure to keep her close ever since. She was a genius. She owned a lucrative club for billionaires. But that wasn’t why she kept her close. She could trust her. She was a good, kind person. And she was deceiving her. She worried her lip. Thing is, once she proved what an asshole Josh really was, surely she wouldn’t be mad?

She clicked the “accept call” button.

“Hey, A.”

“Hey, hey, ready for your interview?”

“Umm, yes?”

She chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’re more than qualified. In fact, you’re overqualified. I think his last few PAs have been models.”

Great, that boded well. “Only interested in looks. Another shallow billionaire, tick.”

“No, no, I’m pretty sure Drew told me they were temps from an agency. He’s on the search for a permanent employee now.”

“Right,” she said, slowly, tasting the word. “Look, I better go.”

“Well, good luck, not that you need it. The job’s yours. The interview is just a formality. Call me after!”

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