Page 198 of Ruin Me Gently

Sleek glass and warm stone stretched up into the sky, and shit—there were actual terraces, overflowing with greenery, spilling over balconies like nature had somehow infiltrated the bones of it.

And right across the massive glass doors, in big, bold letters:

Graves & Everly Technologies.

I squeezed his hand. “How the hell have I never seen this place before?”

He chuckled, tucking his free hand into his pocket. “You weren’t looking for it.”

I tore my gaze away from the literal tech empire in front of me long enough to shoot him a look. “You just…ownthis?”

“That’s usually how it works.”

“I was expecting an office. Not a goddamn institution.”

The moment we stepped inside, it was like walking into a well-oiled machine. People moved fast, purposeful, conversations murmured into more of those asshole earpieces, the clack of heels and polished dress shoes echoed across the floors. This was a place where people had shit to do, and they did it.

A security checkpoint stretched across the entryway with waist high scanners and a team of stone-faced guards in sharp, tailored suits. “Good morning, Mr. Graves.”

Mr. Graves.Right. BecausethisSilas—the suited, powerful, king of an apparent empire—was the same Silas who made me breakfast every morning, who kissed my forehead like it was his life’s purpose, who ate me like I was the last meal on earth, and got adorably pouty whenever I teased him.

I knew he was important now. But still… seeing it in action wasstrange.

The scanner flashed green as we stepped through and headed toward a woman sat behind a reception desk, fingers poised over a tablet that probably cost more than my rent.

“Good morning, Paige,” Silas said, giving her a nod.

Her gaze flicked to me, polite but curious.

I arched a brow. “Do I need to give a blood sample to proceed, or am I good?”

She blinked, then laughed. “Oh, we stopped doing that last quarter. Budget cuts.”

Oh, Ilikedher.

He exhaled a quiet laugh beside me, shaking his head. “We’re heading up.”

“Of course.” She tapped her tablet, smile still in place. “What’s your guest’s name?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Lilith Whitlock.”

Her brows lifted slightly, just for a second, before she nodded and inputted my name. “Got it. You’re all set.” Then, with a look between the two of us, she smiled again, even warmer. “Have a great day, Mr. Graves, Miss Whitlock.”

He led me toward the elevators, and as soon as we were out of earshot, I muttered, “Where’s the chaos? The half-eaten sandwiches? The people crying in stairwells?”

His lips twitched. “We save that for the upper floors.”

Everything was much quieter on the top floor. Two women sat at separate desks outside a pair of office doors, each absorbed in their own tasks. The first, dark haired and sharply dressed, looked up immediately and smiled, “Good morning, Mr. Graves.”

I barely held back a snort. If I had to greet this many people every morning, I’d lose my damn mind. A simple nod would suffice. Or maybe a grunt.

I’d be a terrible corporate employee.

The second woman, blonde and just as professional, looked up too, her expression softening into an easy smile. “Good morning, Mr. Graves,” she said before glancing at me. “And you must be Miss Whitlock.”

I was surprised for all of half a second before remembering Paige had already input me into the system. Right. Fancy corporate shit.

“That’s me,” I said.

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