His eyes drifted across the floor—past the heavy glass-walled offices, past the polished mahogany conference room—toward the opposite side.
The intern cubicles.
A cramped, fluorescent-lit stretch of desks where the real work got done.
Lex checked his watch. 9:37 AM.
Late.
Not enough to be disrespectful. Just enough to remind people that this wasn't important to him.
He made his way across the floor, ignoring the murmured greetings from passing staff. By the time he reached the cubicles, he could already hear the low hum of conversation, the rhythmic clatter of keyboards, the faint scratch of highlighters over printed reports.
A different world from Barnie's office.
One where people actually worked.
"Well, look who finally decided to bless us with his presence."
Lex smirked before he even turned the corner.
Shay Morrison.
She sat at the edge of the cubicle row, twisting a pen between her fingers. She was fast-talking, faster-thinking, and allergic to bullshit.
H University. Double major in Economics and Political Science. Smart enough to know exactly who Lex was. Smart enough not to care.
Lex leaned against the partition of her desk. "Wouldn't want to throw off your routine, Shay."
Shay scoffed, setting down her pen. "Please. You coming in late is my routine."
A few quiet chuckles from the desks nearby. Lex glanced around, spotting Miles and Andre, both buried in spreadsheets. Andre barely looked up, but Miles lifted a hand in greeting.
"Morning, Lex," Miles said, polite as ever.
Lex nodded. "Morning."
Miles Reed was from B University, here on a scholarship. His work ethic was terrifying. By the time anyone else finished a project, Miles had already double-checked their numbers.
Andre Williams, on the other hand, barely spoke unless he had to. But his instincts? Flawless.
Lex tapped the edge of Shay's desk, glancing at her screen. "What's the crisis today?"
"Same as yesterday," she replied, stretching her arms over her head. "Boss's buying dumb shit again, and we're trying to make the numbers look less embarrassing."
Lex smirked. "Yeah, I watch him sign."
Shay raised a brow. "And you let him go through with it?"
Lex shrugged. "He already had the deal locked in. Just let him dig his own grave."
Miles whistled low. "Man, if I fumbled money like that, I'd be out on the street."
Lex's smirk faltered just slightly. That was the thing, wasn't it?
These interns? They couldn't afford mistakes.
They were here because they had to be.
Lex? He was here because he let himself be.
And they all knew it.
"Latham!"
Lex didn't flinch.
But his expression shifted—just slightly—as he heard Trent's voice cutting through the floor.
The interns went quiet.
Shay barely reacted, just picking up her pen again. "Guess that's my cue to get back to work."
Lex turned, watching as Trent strode toward him with that infuriatingly casual confidence.
Lex didn't bother moving. Made Trent come to him.
Trent finally stopped in front of him, flashing a grin. "Barnie's got something for you."
Lex gave him a slow, unimpressed look."Does he?"
Trent clapped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing just a little too hard. "Yeah. You're running numbers on the Queens property."
Lex raised a brow. "The strip mall? The one we both know is a dumpster fire?"
Trent just grinned. "Barnie's orders. He wants a report."
Lex exhaled through his nose, stepping back just enough to make Trent drop his hand.
"Fine."
Trent's grin widened. "That's the spirit. I'll send the files over."
Lex gave him a thin, polite smile."Great. Looking forward to fixing your mess."
Trent let out a laugh, clapping him on the back as he walked off.
Lex glanced back at the interns.
They were already back to work. Like they hadn't heard a thing.
Shay didn't even look up. Just smirked faintly. "Good luck with that."
Lex smirked right back. "I never need luck."
Walking to his cubical, he eyes caught Trent watching him from the far end of the bullpen. Barnie's watchdog never missed a chance to linger.
Lex then started to work on the pile of files on his desk. One by one marking and making list. He was almost ready to have lunch when the boss visited.
Barnie Maddox.
He moved through the office like a storm, his polished shoes clicking sharply against the marble floor. The noise in the room dulled as people shrank in their chairs, heads down.
Barnie's pale blue eyes zeroed in on Lex, his jaw tight, his expression a cocktail of anger and barely-contained disdain.
"Lexington!" Barnie's voice cut across the room like a whip.
Lex glanced up. "Uncle Barnie."
Barnie didn't stop until he was looming over Lex's desk. "Don't 'Uncle Barnie' me." His voice lowered, but it carried a sharper edge. "Do you know your mistake?"
Lex raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "You seem angry."
"Angry?" Barnie's laugh was cold and humorless. " You come in late again. An intern. You check in. You check out. Like everyone else."
Lex tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "I didn't realize interns were such a cornerstone of the company."
Barnie's fist slammed down on the desk, rattling the stapler and scattering a few papers. The noise drew every eye in the room. Lex stayed perfectly still, his smirk widening slightly as he watched the other man struggle to compose himself.
Barnie leaned closer, his voice a low hiss. "This isn't a game, Lex. This is business. You don't get to waltz around and pull stunts with Elias."
Lex's smile didn't falter, but his eyes turned sharp. He knew exactly why Barnie was here—it wasn't about his attendance. Elias had probably made a phone call, and the board had been notified. The balance of power was shifting, and Barnie hated it.
Lex leaned forward now, his tone dropping to match Barnie's. "What's wrong, Uncle? Afraid the board might realize they've bet on the wrong Maddox?"
The tension between them hung heavy. Barnie's fists curled on the desk, his knuckles white. But Lex didn't flinch, holding his uncle's gaze with a quiet, unshakable confidence.
"You're a cocky little—" Barnie started, but Lex cut him off with a grin.
"Ambitious," Lex corrected smoothly. "And good at what I do. Don't worry—I'll keep it under control. Wouldn't want anyone thinking I'm after your job."
Barnie's glare could've cut steel. Without another word, he straightened, turning sharply on his heel and storming out of the office.
The door closed behind him with a heavy thud, sealing the room in silence.