Mag-log inThe auctioneer's cadence moved through the wall. I had built something without him. That was still true. It would stay true. Whatever I said next didn't touch it. "I don't know," I said. "That's the honest answer. Not the managed version." I met his gaze. "I don't know if what's left is enough to
Alicia's POV The older man was still talking. "Seven years," he said. "Four jurisdictions. We moved water infrastructure across borders that hadn't spoken to each other in a generation." His hands traced corridors in the air between us. "The archive is the proof it happened. That it worked." He tu
“You entered without cause,” I said. “You stayed without one.” “I don’t know what this is between you two but—” “My wife.” No variation in tone. No additional weight needed. Alicia’s hand lifted a little, then halted mid-motion and settled again without completing the gesture. The woman exhaled
Edward’s POV “Forty thousand. Do I have forty-five?” The paddle was already raised. Alicia’s hand remained under mine, unchanged in position, as though neither of us had adjusted to its presence since it settled there. “Forty-five.” I raised. “Fifty. Fifty-five.” On the left, a man leaned forw
The fifth lot began. Edward moved to speak to someone at the side of the room. I watched the auctioneer. She crossed the room toward him. He turned when she spoke. She laughed. It had worked before, that laugh. I scanned the sixth lot. Mixed media, authenticated 2019, provenance verified. Her h
Alicia's POV Volkov was already at the door when we came in. His eyes went to my dress and came back up. Lazily. He turned to Edward, and they shook hands. It ran a half-second longer than it needed. "You both came," he said. "You invited us," Edward said. "I invite many people. They don't alwa
Edward's POV The hallway was a tunnel of expensive silence. I stopped ten feet from Philip’s door, my lungs refusing to take in a full breath. I reached for my tie, my fingers clumsy and trembling. I tightened the knot until I could feel the pulse thumping against my windpipe. I checked my cuf
I watched Edward's hand rest against the edge of the table. His knuckles pressed down. His presentation folder sat open in front of him. The one with the Singapore projections. He'd come in prepared. Confident. Ready to walk this board through a plan he'd built piece by piece. And now he was standi
Edward's POV The silence was unbearable. Edmund's pen hovered. David Park stared at the table. Priya's arms crossed. Vincent looked at his hands. Everyone waited. Alicia's hand stayed flat on the table. Fingers spread. Unmoving. I watched her face. Nothing. No tells. No hints. Just that same
The silence extended. Longer. No one defended her. No one spoke. Mitchell leaned back in his chair, someone who'd heard enough. Catherine's attention had already moved elsewhere. Edmund wouldn't even look in Margaret's direction. It was over. Whatever Margaret had tried to claim, whatever po







