LOGINMARCUS REED'S POVEvery time a car drove past the motel, I flinched.I sat on the edge of the bed in Room 14, with the curtains pinned shut and the television muted. Headlights swept across the ceiling, paused, then disappeared. Each time, my heart raced. Each time the sound of the engine faded, I let out a shaky breath.On the nightstand was a cold cup of coffee and a phone with a cracked corner, lying face up because I couldn't summon up courage to turn it over.I was thirty-two years old, but never had so many people hunting for me.I rubbed my tired eyes with both hands. They felt gritty, like someone had poured sand into them. I hadn't slept properly since the night of the party. Whenever I managed to fall asleep, terrible nightmares would wake me up.At first, getting the money had been simple.Theo's treatment cost four thousand dollars every month. My nineteen-year-old brother was as thin as a stick and was learning to walk again at a rehabilitation centre in Paterson. A chil
CASSIAN'S POV"I'm only here to check the lock," I said.Elowen peered at me through the small opening in the door. "It's Sunday, and it's seven o'clock.""Locks can stop working at any time.""That's the weakest excuse you've ever given.""I know." I kept my hands inside my coat pockets so she wouldn't see them. "Is it working?"She closed the door. I heard the chain slide before she opened it fully. A wave of warm air greeted me, carrying the smell of onions, pepper, and a delicious aroma I hadn't smelled in years."Come in," she said.The apartment looked the same; small, crowded, and bright. This time, steam curled from a dented pot on the stove, and the kitchen window was covered in mist.Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, and she held a wooden spoon in her first like a sceptre.A loose strand of hair stuck to her damp cheek.I stood at the entrance and took a deep breath."What's that?""Soup." She turned back to the pot. "My mother's recipe. Chicken, carrots, and lots of
ELOWEN'S POV"Cassian Thorne is in Daniel's office," the receptionist whispered. "Did you know?"I had no idea. I’d been rewriting a shipping notice for forty minutes."How long has he been there?""Almost half an hour. He just left. He took the stairs."I jumped out of my chair before she could finish. My headset clattered to the desk as I hurried across the office straight ahead. I pushed open the heavy grey door leading to the stairwell.My footsteps range on the metal stairs. On the next floor, I spotted a man on the landing. One hand rested on the railing while he slowly buttoned his coat."What are you doing here?"My voice echoed up the stairwell. Cassian turned. He looked guilty for a second, but his expression quickly returned to normal."Elowen.""I asked what you're doing here.""Business." He pointed vaguely to the office above us. "Thorne Global is reviewing smaller vendors. Mr. Hayes agreed to give us a quotation.""Thorne Global has never worked with a company this sma
DANIEL'S POV"She rewrote that email in ten minutes," my operations manager said from my door. "The one that took Marcy two days to finish.""I know," I replied. "I've been watching.""That's creepy.""That's called supervising."He grinned and walked away. I turned to the glass wall of my office.From my desk, I could see almost the entire open office. Elowen's cubicle was by the window, third from the end. She had a notebook on one side and a chipped blue mug on the other.It was her first day. She had arrived at 8:40, twenty minutes early, and stood by the entrance as though waiting for someone to tell her she could come in.Now she sat upright at her desk, with a headset around her neck, reading a complaint on her computer.I had read the news article about her after hiring her. Everyone had. Before offering her the job, I had also contacted her university and a professor who had written a rather firm reference for her. Nothing they told me supported the claims in the article.I w
ELOWEN'S POV"Don't touch anything," Cassian said from the doorway. "Not yet."He arrived twenty-eight minutes later. I was sitting on the edge of the couch with my coat still on and Lisa's number open on my phone.He drove himself, his jacket thrown over his shoulders, one sleeve not even in. His hair was wet from the rain. He paused at my door breathing heavily, as if he had run up the stairs."Nothing is broken," I said. "That's the strange part."He entered and closed the door. The radiator clanked, as if it were nervous too. A faint smell of aftershave lingered in the room, but it wasn't coming from Cassian.Definitely from the intruder. He walked around the apartment, checking everything. He examined the window latch and ran his thumb on the doorframe. There were no signs of a forced entry or broken wood. Then he went into the kitchen and checked the closed drawers.Gerald, my plant, was in the sink area. The pot seemed to have been lifted because his leaves were a bit out of p
CASSIAN'S POV"Ladies and gentlemen, the Thorne name has survived many storms. It will survive this one too."My father's voice filled the boardroom confidently. He stood at the head of the long walnut table, one hand resting on a leather folder. His face showed concern, as if he were a man carrying a heavy responsibility for the sake of others. I sat three seats away, watching his movement.It was Thursday, nine in the morning, and twelve people were present in the meeting.I slept for only four hours. When I looked in the washroom mirror while adjusting my tie, my face was pale."After the unfortunate incident last weekend," my father continued, "stability is no more a luxury. It is a necessity. The Meridian merger will give this company a solid foundation that no scandal can destroy. I urge the board to vote today."Quiet discussions broke out around the table. Some members nodded in agreement. My eyes traveled round the room and landed on the advisers' seats, where three men in d







