Professional distance was the only weapon I had left. If I could maintain my credibility with Raymond while secretly working to keep Aurora safe, maybe I could find another way to expose Giana's conspiracy before it was too late.But watching Aurora's face as I maintained my silence was the hardest
As the dining hall gradually emptied out, conversations dying to uncomfortable whispers, I managed to pull myself together enough to attempt a dignified exit. The weight of everyone's stares felt crushing. I needed to escape before the humiliation became completely unbearable.But what I didn't real
"Tell them what really happened," I said desperately to Kane, my voice carrying across the silent hall. "Tell them about the surveillance, about what we heard."Kane's response was devastating in its professional neutrality: "I can only report what I observed, not interpret motivations or mental sta
I never got the chance to regroup and plan my next move. Giana struck first, and she struck with devastating precision that spoke to months of careful planning and preparation.The next morning, before I could even process the destruction of our evidence or figure out an alternative approach, Giana
"Audio can be faked," Giana said dismissively. "Digital technology makes it so easy to manipulate recordings these days."Before I could explain the technical impossibility of faking such detailed conversations, Giana was already moving to her next strategy."Raymond," she said with perfect timing,
I didn't sleep that night. The weight of what we'd discovered pressed down on me like a physical burden, making rest impossible. Giana was planning our deaths while systematically destroying my relationship with Raymond and isolating me from any potential allies.By dawn, I'd made my decision. Evide