Julian’s jaw tightened, a muscle in his cheek twitching as he tried to keep his cool.
Brady placed a steady hand over Julian’s and grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. “Julian, you know you have to support a kid’s interests. This is the worst time to crush his confidence.”
Julian drew in a deep breath, his eyes squeezing shut. It took everything he had to force out just one word. “Fine… keep practicing.”
Oliver felt a huge wave of relief wash over him. Did he actually just get away with it?
He nodded, all innocence. “I’ll practice, Dad, I promise.”
Off to the side, the piano tutor stared at Oliver in shock. “You played so well last time… what happened…?”
Oliver just blinked, gave her a sheepish, apologetic smile, and took off before anyone could say anything else.
…
At Scent Trace Corporation, Madeline strode into the lobby, hands tucked confidently into the pockets of her trench coat. The receptionist looked up. “Hello, may I help you?”
“I’m here for Brenda. My last name is Monroe.”
The receptionist’s eyes widened. “Ms. Monroe! Please, come in. Ms. Mullin is in a meeting, but you can wait for her in her office.”
Madeline gave a quick nod and walked right in.
One of the other receptionists leaned over, whispering, “Who is she? She totally gives off boss energy.”
“No idea. Ms. Mullins just said if she ever shows up, she doesn’t need an appointment and can go straight in. Basically, she’s someone we really, really can’t upset.”
Since Brenda was still tied up in her meeting, Madeline wandered through the company on her own. The place was buzzing. Every department was busy, from product sourcing and research to production, packaging, marketing, and negotiating with partners. Everything ran smoothly, like a well-oiled machine.
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