LOGIN"Finish that sentence." My voice cut across hers. A beat passed. A shift crossed her eyes. Then she said it anyway. "Cleaned houses for people like us." The room went completely quiet. "My mother." I stopped. "Worked with her hands for people who believed that made her less than them. People exac
Alicia’s POV The pen was in my hand. I hadn't moved since the door closed. The page in front of me, the same line, and now I knew someone had been observing me return to it, watching long enough to count each return. I had spent three years believing he never saw the parts that weren't performed.
"He also mentioned Vera Sorel has made her attendance at the follow-up conditional on yours," I said, letting the other piece of the weight land between us. "He wanted me to know that." The pen halted in her hand. She took a breath, slow, through her nose, and the line of her throat moved once befo
Edward's POV Phillip arrived at twenty past ten. He settled into the chair across my desk and set his coat on the arm of it. The draft was already in his hand before he opened his mouth. "Signed and filed as of this morning. Your name on the minority position. Clean." He set a single folded page
"I don't know." "You said it to him. Not here." The pause that followed remained too long to be casual. "What are you afraid of?" I didn't rush it. "That I'm seeing it right. And it still falls apart anyway." She shook her head slightly. "That's not uncertainty. That's you refusing to close y
Alicia's POV Elena didn't turn when I came in. She was at the counter, spoon hovering over a bowl she hadn't touched in a while. The kettle had gone cold long enough to feel intentional. My bag hit the floor by the door. She didn't look at it. "You came back wrong." "I came back two days ago."
I didn't stop. Didn't turn around. Just kept walking. Out the front door. Back to my car. Got in. My phone buzzed before I could start the engine. Text from Leo. Victor's office called. Requesting a meeting on Thursday at 9 AM. Described as urgent. I stared at the screen. Thursday. Less tha
Edward's POV Friday morning. I sat at my desk. Inbox open. Hawthorne debrief memo from Victor already seated at the top, timestamped 6:47 AM. Subject line: Re: Partnership Parameters – Revised Scope I hadn't opened it yet. Didn't need to. Victor's tone yesterday said everything. The meeting
"You bullied her." My voice low. Controlled. "In high school. At Millbrook Prep." "I didn't…" "You called her a charity case." "Edward." "You tormented her." Lucy's eyes darted to Sienna, back to me. "She's lying. I don't even remember her." "You don't remember?" My voice rose. "You don't reme
My chest constricted. "I asked you," he continued. "In the parking lot. Remember? I asked if you were happy. You said yes so fast I knew it was a lie." My mother's grip on my hands tightened. "I told myself I was wrong," my father said. "That I was seeing problems that weren't there. That you wer







