“You’re quick, huh?” I can’t help but laugh at the embarrassment disrupting the flawlessness of her face. “What the hell even is a pre-interview? How could that possibly be a thing?”

She opens her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. “So why were you spying on me?” I ask, making sure to keep my voice nonchalant, bored. I have to play this down or she’ll stay defensive.

“I wasn’t spying.”

“Bullshit.” I set my jaw.

This isn’t a game.

Her eyes lock on to mine. A hint of defiance flickers in them, and this time she doesn’t look away. “Like I said, I don’t know what you think I—”

“What did you hear before you ran?” My voice is hot now, irritated. I don’t have the energy for this. She’s wasting my time.

There’s a beat, a humming silence, then Brandi pushes herself back, her chair scraping loud enough against the floor to spark a few curious glances from nearby tables.

“I’m looking forward to actually interviewing with your dad next week,” she says with just a touch of acidity in her voice, and I want to squeeze her neck until her eyes bulge. “Alone.”

Instead, I hold her gaze and smirk. “Yeah, I bet you can’t wait to be alone with him.”

Her shoulders tense, and from the way she glares at me, I know I’m getting under her skin.

“I just meant that it’s really important to me to work for a brand that aligns with my ethics,” she says, not missing a beat. “Van Doren is exactly the kind of label I’ve always wanted to be a part of. I have tons of ideas. I can forward some of them to you. Or your dad. And Milan. I can’t even imagine. It’ll obviously be amazing for my résumé, but it sounds like a dream. Not that I think it’ll be all sipping fancy wine and playing dress-up. I’m a workhorse. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and do whatever the team needs.”

I take another deliberate sip of my water. “Amazing for your résumé...or your bank account?”

Her head cocks to the side, lines of confusion forming down the middle of her forehead. “I thought the position only pays a small stipend.”

That makes me smile. “It does.”

“I’m not...” Her eyes search mine as if she’ll be able to find something there. “I don’t understand.”

I sigh and force the edge away from my voice. “Look, you can cut the whole innocent act. I get why you’re so upset. You were planning on milking my father for what, millions? If he’s gone, your whole plan is a bust. But if you stop pretending with all this ethics bullshit, maybe you and I can work something out. Without him.”