Chapter 27

Annie's POV

The late afternoon sun streamed through the large windows of my new office at Howard Technologies, painting my workspace in warm golden light. I sat at my desk, staring at the contract Howard had handed me on the rooftop garden. My fingers traced over the salary figure again -a hundred thousand dollars. The number still felt surreal.

But it wasn't the generous salary that kept pulling my thoughts back to that moment on the roof. It wasthe way Howard had looked at me, the weight of unspoken words hanging between us. I'd seen something in his eyes then, something that made my heart race even now. He'd opened his mouth as if to say more, but then closed it again, that familiar mask of control sliding back into place.

The memory of his cologne, mixing with the scent of autumn roses,made my fingers tighten on the contract. Howard Thompson was a mystery I couldn't quite solve -one moment the commanding CEO, the next showing glimpses of vulnerability that made me want to reach out and...

I shook my head,forcing my attention back to the present. The design team had already welcomed me warmly, showing me around the creative department and setting up my workstation. They'd been impressed by my portfolio,treating me with a professional respect I hadn't experienced in years. Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that I was living in a dream that could shatter at any moment. "Miss Baker?" Howard's secretary appeared at my door. "Mr.Thompson asked if you needed a ride home." "No, thank you." I smiled, gathering my things. "I have some errands to run first."

I needed time to think, to process everything that had happened. And maybe, just maybe, find a way to express what I couldn't seem to say in words.

The Manhattan shopping center buzzed with early evening activity as I made my way through the men's department. My fingers ghosted over various ties, considering and dismissing each one until I reached a deep blue jacquard piece. The subtle pattern caught the light beautifully,and I could imagine how it would bring out the blue in Howard's eyes when he was deep in thought at his desk.

A smile tugged at my lips as I remembered how he looked during meetings-commanding yet somehow vulnerable when hethought no one was watching. The tie felt rich and substantial between my fingers,worthy of a CEO but not flashy. Just like Howard himself.

"Change the color. I don't like it."

The familiar voce froze me in place. I turned slowly to find Philip standing behind me, his expression caught between amusement and something darker.

"That man with you at Upper East Side Private Preschool," he continued,his casual tone belied by the sharp look in his eyes. "What exactly is your relationship with him?" I met his gaze steadily. "Just like I don't concern myself with your affairs with Sarah, my personal life is none of your business. We're nothing more than strangers now." "We were married, Annie..." Philip stepped closer, using his height to loom over me in that way that used to make me feel small.

"That's in the past." I cut him off firmly, no longer the timid woman who had once sought his approval.

"You can't just marry some random man for revenge." His tone carried that patronizing note I'd grown to despise.

"Revenge?" I let out a short laugh. "What makes you think you're worth taking revenge on?"

Philip's expression shifted, smugness replacing concern. "Because you loved me so much, of course!"

"You're right." My quiet admission seemed to catch him off guard."I did love you. But that's all in the past. I've moved on from that relationship,built a new life. Every day now, I wake up happy." I met his gaze directly."Please don't interfere with my life anymore."

Philip moved to block my path. "After sharing a bed for years, how can I stand by and watch you make a mistake?"

"Philip Baker." I felt steel enter my voice, strength I'd discovered since leaving him. "I'm single, divorced, and perfectly entitled to build a new family. As for mistakes?" My lips curved in a bitter smile. "You should examine your own actions. Having an affair while we were married,turning Brian against me with Sarah - you never stopped yourself then.What right do you have to lecture me now?" Philip's perfect facade slipped for just a moment. I turned away without waiting for his response - I'd already spent too many years of my life caring about Philip Baker's feelings. At the register.I pulled out my own credit card - not the supplementary one Philip had given me, which I'd returned along with my wedding ring.The tie was expensive, but it would be the first gift I'd bought with the salary I earned from taking care of Lucy. The thought made me smile - for the first time in years, I was spending money I'd earned through my own efforts.

The warmth of the Thompson mansion welcomed me home, chasing away the chill of my encounter with Philip. I found Howard in his study,the desk lamp casting a gentle glow over his concentrated expression as he reviewed documents. The familiar scent of tobacco and cologne wrapped around me like a comfort blanket.

He looked up at the sound of my entrance, his features softening almost imperceptibly. "You're back late."

"I bought some things for Lucy." I paused, then pulled out the carefully wrapped box. "And... this is for you."

Howard accepted the gift, his dark eyes lingering on my flushed cheeks for a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity.

"It's just... thank you for everything." My voice grew softer, more uncertain.

Howard opened the box with careful precision, studying the deep blue tie with an unreadable expression. After what felt like hours, he looked up."Would you help me put it on?"

I blinked in surprise. "You don't know how to tie a tie?"

"I usually buy pre-tied ones." A hint of embarrassment colored his admission. "Just slip them on when needed." The confession startled a small laugh from me.Howard Thompson,the powerful CEO who could command a boardroom with a single look, didn't know how to tie a tie. It was endearing in a way I hadn't expected - this tiny imperfection making him suddenly more human, more real. The thought warmed something in my chest.

I stepped closer, taking the silk length in my hands. Howard's proximity made my pulse quicken - I could feel the warmth radiating from him.smell the lingering traces of his cologne mixed with coffee and tobacco.In the quiet study, our breathing seemed unnaturally loud.

"Annie." Howard's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "Would you..." He trailed off, just as he had on the rooftop garden.

"Yes?" My fingers stilled on the tie, heart thundering in my chest.

"Would you... be willing to help me with my ties from now on?"

The question hung between us, weighted with everything neither of us seemed able to say. I nodded, not trusting my voice. My hands trembled slightly as I finished the knot, smoothing the silk against his chest.

"Perfect," Howard murmured, though his eyes weren't on the tie.

I stepped back, suddenly aware of how close we were standing. The lamplight caught the blue threads in the tie, making them shimmer like the depths of Howard's eyes. I'd been right - it suited him perfectly.

"I should check on Lucy," I managed, though leaving was the last thing I wanted to do.

Howard nodded, that masklike control settling back over his features. But as I reached the door,his voice stopped me.

"Annie?"

I turned,heart leaping at the intensity in his gaze.

"Thank you." The words carried a weight far beyond the simple gift. "For everything."