The Billionaire's Reluctant Partner.

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r boss to confirm that their job offers were revoked. I had to give them props for staying this long tho, many other people would have bolted for the hills by now. As I walked past them, they all stopped whatever they were doing to openly gawk at me. Some gazed were filled with curiosity as to why I was here but a few of them were rounded in shock... They probably recognized me as Naomi's ex-husband. I walked toward the front desk, where a young woman-Naomi's assistant, I presumed-froze as soon as she looked up. Her eyes widened. "M-Mr. Royce?" I arched a brow. "I'd like to see Naomi." She hesitated. "She's-" "Tell her I'm here." My voice left no room for argument. She swallowed hard before nodding rapidly, picking up the phone with trembling fingers. After a hushed exchange, she looked up, still visibly startled. "Ms. Lancaster said to send you in." I nodded and walked past her toward Naomi's office. I reached the door with her name on it, grabbed the handle, and pushed it open. The moment I stepped inside, my eyes found her. Naomi. She stood by her desk, arms crossed, eyes sharp as they locked onto me. And just like before, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. It wasn't just her looks-though those were impossible to ignore. It was the way she carried herself, with quiet strength and effortless grace. Her dark hair was pulled into a neat bun, showing off the soft angles of her face. High cheekbones, full lips, and those piercing eyes that missed nothing. The emerald-green dress she wore fit her perfectly, making it hard to look away. For a moment, I just stared. The way she stood, the slight lift of her chin, the way her fingers tapped against her arm-she was already annoyed with me. "Are you here to just stare, or do you actually have a reason for darkening my doorstep?" Her voice was cool, unimpressed. I smirked, a slight tug at the corner of my lips. "I promised I'd see you soon, didn't I?" She gave a dry laugh and shook her head. "Right. Because that was exactly what I needed to complete my day-my ex-husband showing up unannounced." I stepped further into the room, my hands going into my pockets. "You look well." She arched a brow. "And you look just the same-infuriating." I laughed, noting the sharpness in her tone. Her passion had always been strong, even when aimed at me. Especially then. Naomi sighed and crossed the room to sit at her desk. "What do you want, Killian?" "Can't I stop by to see how my ex-wife is doing in her business?" She scoffed and scoffed back in her chair. "Cut the act. Are you here to gloat?" I arched a brow. "Gloat?" She crossed her arms. "Don't play dumb. My business is falling apart, and you know it. You always did like watching people squirm." I tilted my head to the side. "You seem to be on...edge. Are you somehow bothered by my presenc