Saturday, February 25, afternoon.

I thought back to that morning, sitting over coffee with Isabella, Johanna and Emilia.

We'd been up together until dawn, but when it came time to say goodbye, we all went quiet.

"Let's make it longer next time, Bear."

At Isabella's words, Johanna and Emilia nodded too.

Of course, I promised I would. Putting their regrets aside, the three of them went back to their own work.

These were warrior women who treated work and love alike as war.

When I'd been left alone in the empty penthouse, I'd felt a little wistful, but now just remembering that morning warmed my heart.

Vrooom.

I was in a car headed for Whitman Capital. Richard Whitman had sent it for me, timed to the minute.

It was a chauffeured limousine, the kind I'd only ever seen in movies.

Last night at the party he'd said he wanted to see my investment plan, and the very next day he'd sent a car. He must have had a lot of questions.

I leaned back comfortably in the back seat and took out my smartphone.

—I've been waiting.

Reading Charlotte's reply again, I broke into a smile.

She'd been waiting!

The text I'd sent was short and didn't say anything special.

'I'd like to buy your talent!'

That was all I'd said; I hadn't offered any title or terms.

And to that, without even asking what I had in mind, Charlotte had answered that she'd been waiting.

Someone who's played on a big board won't be satisfied with anything less than a bigger one.

Once she'd tasted victory at my side, it was probably only natural that she couldn't be content where she was.

Last night's party must have been her chance to see for herself how far she could go on Wall Street.

Of course, what I wanted wasn't someone to throw a last-minute party or run errands.

I'd had my eye on her since the H.R TOWER deal.

After the deal closed, she'd had the building renovated, then in a matter of days gathered over a hundred outstanding guests…