Kylie sensed his sharp look on the back of her neck and immediately craved a smoke to unwind. But when she was shuffling through her bag for a lighter, she remembered Ethan’s warning.

She stayed still for a moment, then put the cigarette away. It was terrible; tonight was the first time she badly wanted a cigarette.

The sky was dark, and the mountain wind blew coldly against her face. She sensed that a storm was coming soon.

The footsteps were fast approaching. Kylie took a deep breath, then turned around with an official smile. “Been a while, President Laurence.”

Laurence Finch gazed at her with cold eyes, looking with...