"Of course not," Rhett said and scanned Alicia and Mr. Howard, his eyes flickering back and forth between them. Finally, he fixed his gaze on Alicia, drinking in the deep olive green of her eyes. "Allie, since Mr. Howard trusts you, this time the project will be yours," he said in a soft yet firm voice.

"Thank you, Mr. Rhett. I won't let you down," Alicia replied, her heart pounding with excitement.

"Excellent," Damian interjected, though he thought Alicia should have thanked him first. Still, seeing the radiant smile on her face made the few hours he'd wasted here worthwhile.

Lilith, however, was less enthusiastic. "Congratulations, Alicia," she said, her...