Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 15

Audrina was quite satisfied with her first live broadcast, and her dynamic with the production team had gone surprisingly smoothly.

However, when she walked into the office at ten-thirty the next morning, she instantly sensed a shift in the atmosphere.

Claire was sitting at her desk, the rims of her eyes noticeably red.

Audrina set her bag down and headed straight for the pantry to grab a drink. As she neared the doorway, she caught snippets of hushed conversation from inside.

"Mr. Ladd dragged Claire back into his office this morning and slammed his fists on the desk for a solid thirty minutes. He straight-up told her that if she can't book Sebastian Hawthorne before the holidays, she can pack up her desk and leave."

"Wait, aren't Claire and Mr. Ladd..."

"Shhh, keep your voice down. So what if they are? If she can't get Mr. Hawthorne, sleeping with God himself wouldn't save her job. The rival network tried to poach him for an exclusive last year, and he refused to even be in the same room with them."

"Then Claire is seriously done for..."

Audrina walked into the room, mug in hand. The three gossiping colleagues instantly snapped their mouths shut, offered awkward smiles, and scattered.

She filled her mug with water, a faint smirk playing on her lips as she headed back out.

She had overheard the commotion about booking Sebastian the second she arrived yesterday. This was a game she knew perfectly well how to win, but she had kept her mouth shut. She knew it was only a matter of time before someone got desperate enough to use the new girl as a human shield.

As she walked past Claire's desk, the older anchor suddenly looked up. "Audrina."

Audrina stopped in her tracks.

Right on cue. Someone was officially desperate.

What was it the women in the pantry had just whispered? Claire was sleeping with Roland?

But it seemed Roland had zeroed in on a shiny new target, and since Claire was a seasoned veteran at the network, being backed into a corner where her job was on the line would make anyone panic.

Audrina hadn't even needed to volunteer to handle the impossible task of booking Sebastian.

Claire stood up. Her eyes were still red, but she had already plastered on a painstakingly friendly smile.

Internally, Claire was practically laughing at her.

Did she honestly think just anyone could waltz in and demand an audience with Sebastian Hawthorne? She was just a naive rookie. If she ended up offending him over this interview request, not even Roland Ladd would be able to save her career!

Audrina returned to her desk, pulled out her phone, and looked at the contact info for Layne that Claire had just sent. A subtle, dangerous smile crept onto her lips.

Looking back on that night... his touch was surprisingly intoxicating. Who could honestly resist that incredibly athletic build and perfectly toned waist? Plus, he actually seemed quite interested in her.

...

After finishing her shift, Audrina went straight home.

Zachary had already showered and was sitting on the bedroom sofa, scrolling through his phone.

She sat at her vanity, removing her makeup, occasionally catching his reflection in the mirror.

Noticing her lingering gaze, Zachary looked up. "What is it?"