Withering Rose

Chapter 9

Minutes later, we sat in the backseat of a sleek black car as the chauffeur drove us to our destination. The ride was tense; Josh was on the phone, barking orders to someone while I stared out the window, trying to piece together where we were headed. The car came to a sudden halt, and I leaned forward, peeking out to get a better look.

The chauffeur stepped out and opened my door, motioning for me to exit. Josh was still preoccupied with his phone, climbing the wide stone staircase leading up to a towering, glass-covered building. Its sheer size and modern architecture left me momentarily stunned. Whoever Josh was meeting today was clearly someone incredibly wealthy.

"Destiny, hurry up, or you're fired," Josh snapped, holding the door open at the top of the stairs.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I rushed up the steps and slipped through the double doors behind him. The inside was just as impressive as the exterior—polished floors that gleamed under soft, ambient lighting, and walls adorned with abstract art that probably cost more than my yearly salary. I couldn't help but feel out of place.

Josh strode confidently ahead, and I struggled to keep up. We entered the elevator, and he pressed the button for the 5th floor without a word. When the doors opened, a stunning blonde woman greeted us with a polite smile. Her pristine uniform and impeccable posture screamed professionalism.

"Good morning. Are you Mr. McNeal?" she asked, her tone sweet but formal.

"Yes, I am," Josh replied curtly.

"Please follow me to his conference room," she said, gesturing for us to follow.

As we walked, she gave a brief tour of the floor, highlighting various features of the building. The entire place radiated luxury, and I couldn't ignore the presence of security guards stationed at nearly every corner. The tension in my chest grew with each step.

Who exactly are we meeting with?

The secretary led us to a large conference room, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Opening the door, she motioned for us to enter. Josh stepped in first, his shoulders stiff and his expression unusually guarded. I followed behind, clutching the tablet in one hand while skimming the folder in the other.

As I flipped through the papers, my stomach dropped. The folder—the one with all the meeting details—was missing.

Shit.

Panic bubbled inside me, but I tried to keep my composure. The atmosphere in the room shifted as I walked in, and I felt eyes on me. Looking up, I gasped softly, quickly covering my mouth.

Josh shot me a glare, his eyebrows furrowed in irritation. The secretary's lips twitched in amusement, as though she enjoyed my reaction.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. He'll be with you shortly," she said before leaving the room to fetch drinks.

Josh moved to the chair facing the head of the table, the one directly beneath the large TV mounted on the wall. I stood beside him, frantically rifling through the papers in my hands, hoping—praying—that I'd somehow overlooked the missing information. My hands trembled as I tried to balance the tablet and disorganized papers, and in my frantic movements, the folder slipped from my grasp, scattering its contents onto the floor.

"Dammit," I muttered under my breath, quickly crouching down to gather the papers.

Before I could pick up the last page, Josh's hand shot out, gripping my wrist tightly. He yanked me toward him with a low growl.

"Get it together," he hissed, his eyes narrowing as he pulled me closer.

My heart raced, not just from his sudden movement but from the rising tension in the room.