“If you really are single, Mr. Moss… would I have the honor of taking you out to dinner sometime?”Her meaning couldn’t have been clearer.And thanks to the microphone clipped to her collar, the invitation carried through the entire conference hall.“Wow, she’s bold.”“Seriously, is Mr. Moss actually single?”“That’s what I want to know too!”Even the middle-aged businessmen in the room suddenly became much more interested in Derek’s answer.They obviously weren’t interested in him themselves.But plenty of them had daughters around Derek’s age.And those who didn’t had nieces or other young women in the family who were old enough to marry.Raised in wealthy families, many of them were attractive, well-educated, and accomplished in their own right.If Derek really was single, then perhaps they had a chance to form a much closer connection with him.Within seconds, the entire room seemed to come alive.Everyone waited eagerly for Derek’s answer, listening so carefully that no one wante

Erin’s eyes were red as she stared fixedly at Derek on the stage.Then her gaze shifted to Sandra Fielder as she stepped down.Never in her life had Erin felt her position challenged like this.Another woman had actually dared to flirt with her husband right in front of her?“Sandra Fielder…”“Derek is mine.”Erin clenched her fists and muttered through gritted teeth.After five years of marriage, part of her wanted to stand up right then and there and make a scene.She wanted everyone in the room to know that Derek was her husband—and hers alone.But Erin hadn’t completely lost her reason.This was still Wellspring Corp’s investment conference.If she caused a scene here, Alan might let it slide for Derek’s sake.But Derek himself might not help her.And in the end, the Firefighter Family Support Foundation would be the one to suffer.So Erin forced down the anger burning inside her and remained seated, outwardly calm.As she watched Derek speaking confidently onstage, something rare

Two days later, Derek received a message from Alan Wells. “Derek, I’ve shortlisted some excellent candidates for you. They’re capable people with solid reputations. I’ve sent over their résumés for you to review. “Jensen got through about half the paperwork today. Are you free tomorrow? He can take you to look at office space. “Once you’ve chosen a location, there’ll just be a few things left to finalize. We should have the company registered and ready for business by the end of the week.” Candidates already lined up. Office space ready to view. Derek hadn’t expected Alan to move so quickly. “Tomorrow works,” he replied, then opened the résumés. Alan had clearly chosen carefully. Every candidate looked qualified, experienced, and dependable. Derek was more than satisfied. With everything taken care of for the day, he went to bed early. The next morning, he was getting ready to leave when Jensen called. Derek greeted him with a nod as he got into the car. Jensen drove him s

“You’re kidding… right?” Iris stared at Derek, her face drained of color. “He’s a nobody. How could he possibly know Zach Harris?” Zach ignored her and beckoned two guards over. “Take her to HR. Have them process her termination.” “If she can’t treat a customer with basic respect, she has no place here.” The guards took Iris by the arms and led her away. Paul finally snapped out of his shock. He hurried to Zach’s side, shaking his head as though he had disapproved of Iris all along. “You’re absolutely right, Uncle Zach. I’ve been meaning to fire her myself. She’s rude to clients, and her numbers are terrible.” Then he turned to Derek with an eager smile. “You certainly keep a low profile, Mr. Moss. Though I had a feeling there was more to you than met the eye.” So Zach was his uncle. That explained the shared surname. “Iris gave me completely the wrong impression,” Paul continued. “I should never have listened to her. I hope you can let this go, just this once.” Derek re

Derek frowned as he watched Austin hurry away, but he didn’t take the threats seriously. He returned to the table and turned to Carrie. “Are you hurt? If you need to get checked out, we’ll take you to the hospital. The company will cover it. And if you want to report him to the police, we’ll help with that, too.” The others turned toward her, concern mingling with their admiration for Derek. “He’s right, Carrie. We’re all here for you. We’re not letting him get away with this.” “What a disgusting creep.” “Thank God Derek was here. That bastard deserved it.” Anyone would have been shaken by what had just happened. It was the sort of experience that could stay with someone for years. “I’m okay.” Carrie rubbed her reddened eyes and shook her head. “Thank you, Derek. Thank you, everyone.” “All right. Let’s get back to lunch.” Satisfied that she wasn’t hurt, Derek picked up his fork. Jensen leaned toward him. “Derek,” he said quietly, “Austin wasn’t bluffing about the Callahan