"Mum?" Conrad's baffled face might have amused me under different circumstances, but now, I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

No, you dumb giraffe, it's her ghost.

"Conrad? Darling, what are you doing here?" Skye, his mother, stood in my boutique holding a floral dress against her chest. She seemed completely unfazed by her son's sudden appearance, the exact opposite to our shared shock.

When Skye had called me earlier in the day, saying she was in the city, I had expected her to be busy planning the next 'party of the year'. Instead, she had come straight to my boutique, launching into a detailed narrative about the origins of 'Tuesday brunch' fifteen years ago and the latest gossip about Barbara's impending divorce from her fourth husband, Jarred.

Spoiler alert: Jarred went to dinner with his ex-wife, Ginny.

"Um," Conrad scratched the back of his neck, glancing at me as if I held all the answers. Meanwhile, Skye was distracted, admiring herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. "I..."

"Your father sent you, didn't he?" She turned her head to glare at him, oblivious to my presence on the couch behind a rack of clothes. I felt like a nervous wreck, praying she wouldn't suspect anything between Conrad and me. If she did, I could kiss my life goodbye.

"Yes?" Conrad's response sounded more like a question. I sighed, my gaze shifting to the beautiful lilies he'd brought. A small smile crept onto my face as I ran my finger over one of the pink petals.

"That man, I tell you." Skye stepped out in front of us, her posture regal as she surveyed the scene: me sitting on the couch with an expensive bouquet and a sketch pad, and her son awkwardly leaning against a rack of mini skirts. "I can't remember the last time he kept his promise. How hard is it to come pick me up?" She placed a hand on her hip, leaning on one foot as she stared at the bouquet. I could see the gears turning in her head; probably plotting ways to kill her husband for his slip.

Conrad and I remained silent, unsure how to respond as she continued her monologue. I was just relieved we didn't have to fabricate a story. I was already nervous enough. Despite Skye's kindness towards me, something about her scared me deep inside.

Would it change if she knew what was going on between her son and me?

"Tell him, the flowers won't do this time." She huffed, grabbing another dress off the rack and draping it over her forearm with the first. "At least he didn't send one of those stupid limos as compensation. If I'd wanted a limo, trust me, I'd get one just like that." She snapped her fingers and walked toward the fitting rooms in her red-bottom heels.

Her statement reminds me of the night of the anniversary party and I think back to when Conrad had sent a limo despite his promise of picking me up.

So it runs in the family.

I discretely shot a glare at him and he looked at me with pleading eyes, silently begging me to let this slide.

"Darling, I'm going to try these on." She held up the dresses for me to see, and I gave her a sharp nod as she disappeared behind the door.

As soon as she disappeared, Conrad grabbed me by the arms and held me against his chest, burying his head in my hair.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, and pressed a soft kiss to my head. It takes all of my will power to not melt into his touch and resist him. The familiar mouthwatering cologne hit my face, surrounding him like a blanket. He sure knew how to pacify a woman.

Did he not know his mother was dropping by?

It felt like a taboo, him holding me in his embrace while his mother was far from ear shot in the dressing room. I couldn't imagine what she would do once the cat was out of the bag. Would she banish him? Or maybe these were my last days. While I run every possible scenario in my head, I see Leah walking towards us as she came from the workshop in the back, her face hidden by the evening gown she was carrying.

I pushed Conrad away, adjusting myself before Leah could catch sight of us. Conrad's eyes flashed with hurt, like I had just stabbed him in the heart. Well, too bad.

"This thing is heavier than I thought. It feels like a workout," Leah complained, walking blindly toward us, the gown obscuring her view.

I forced a smile, my heart still racing. "Need some help with that?"

Leah finally set the gown down and looked up at us. Her eyes flicked between Conrad and me, and then she raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

"Is that him?" she silently mouthed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I felt my cheeks flush, and I quickly looked away, but Leah wasn't done. She stepped closer, her voice teasing. "So, this is the infamous Conrad, huh? The one who has you all flustered?"

Conrad's lips curled into a smirk, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. I shot him a glare before turning back to Leah. "Leah, this is Conrad," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Conrad, this is Leah."

Leah extended her hand, her smile wide and playful. "Nice to finally meet you, Conrad. I've heard so much about you."

Conrad shook her hand, his grip firm. "All good things, I hope."

Leah laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, definitely. Thea here can't stop talking about you."

I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear, but Conrad just chuckled, his eyes never leaving mine. "Good to know," he said softly.

As Leah walked away, still chuckling to herself, Conrad leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. "She's right, you know. I am worth talking about."

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. Despite the danger, despite the risk, I couldn't deny the thrill of being with him. And as Conrad took my hand in his, I knew I wouldn't have it any other way.

"The question is," I leaned in close to his ear and breathed against it, "are you worth risking my career for?" I slipped my hand out of his and smirked before I walked in the direction of the dressing room.

As if on cue, his mother emerged, a broad, satisfied smile lighting up her face. "It's beautiful," she mused, rubbing her hands against the soft fabric as she walked toward her son. "What do you think, Conrad?"

"You look great, Mum!" Conrad kissed her cheek and twirled her around, and I couldn't help but smile at the interaction. "What's the occasion, if I may ask?"

"The occasion?" She laughed, placing her hands on her waist and shaking her head. "Honey, it's for the succession party next month. Have you forgotten already?"

Conrad stilled beside his mother, his expression suddenly blank. He seemed upset, probably because of the piece of information is mother just revealed to me without his permission.

"Succession party?" I repeated, my curiosity piqued by what had made him go numb.

"Yes, darling. It's when Conrad officially takes over the business. It's high time Daniel retired. His old shoulders can't carry the weight any longer."

So, Conrad was taking over. That meant he would be the face of the Maxwell clan.

"You should come, Thea. The ladies absolutely loved you last time. It would mean the world to me if you were there. Besides, it would give me an opportunity to show off my star designer." She nudged my shoulder with hers, but I was distracted as Conrad's eyes bore into mine.

"It's getting late now," Skye said, glancing at her watch. "Thea, can you help me out of the dress, please?"

"Sure," I mumbled, following her to the dressing room. I could feel Conrad's stare on my back as I closed the door behind me.

This was a significant moment for him. Taking over the clan meant his responsibilities would increase tenfold. I was already getting so little time with him; soon, it would be next to impossible. I might even forget his face. His handsome, sexy face.

Once Skye was back in her original clothes, we stepped out, me trailing close behind her.

"Let's go, Conrad. Thank you, Thea. I'll see you next week for the fitting, alright?" She kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand as the duo walked out the door.

I let out a sigh and turned around, only to find a grinning Leah peeking from the reception desk, wiggling her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

"That was interesting," she smirked, crossing her arms, clearly waiting for me to spill the details. Leah knew enough about Conrad to understand that we liked each other but not enough to know that I was falling for him.

Before I could defend myself, the door chimed again, and I was suddenly spun around into Conrad's arms. My eyes widened in alarm. His mother was right outside. Over his shoulder, I could see the shadow of her lean figure waiting in his car, looking at her phone.

"What are you—" His lips pressed against mine in a desperate kiss. It was short but definitely stirred something inside my stomach.

"I'll be back at eleven. Be ready. I'll pick you up from the house." He kissed my cheek with a newfound energy, making me bend a little from the force. His lips left my face with a smack, and I was left with my jaw ajar as he grabbed his phone from the couch and started walking towards the door.

"Are you out of your mind?" I called out to him from behind. He simply smirked, holding the door open with one stretched hand.

"Trust me you'll like it." He soon disappeared into the privacy of his car and drove away leaving me speechless and confused in the boutique.

"Speak. Now," Leah demanded.

"Do I have a choice?" I groaned.

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: SKYE-FALL
1731 words

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