Damien's POVHe looked at the phone the way you look at something you've been expecting and hoped wouldn't arrive yet."Farrow," he said."Answer it.""Sophie said—""Answer it. Here. Now." I moved around the desk. "Put it on speaker."He hesitated for exactly one second. Then he answered and set the phone on the desk between us."Alex Carter," he said."Mr. Carter. This is Diane Farrow from the Tribune. I'm sorry to call without warning. Do you have a few minutes."Her voice was calm and specific. The kind of professional calm that was its own form of pressure because it gave you nothing to push against."A few," Alex said. He was looking at the phone not at me. His voice was level. Completely level. I watched him find the steadiness in real time, the same way he'd found it in the Rossi meeting, in Sophie's office, in every room that had required it."I've been speaking with your mother," Farrow said. "She was generous with her time and I want you to know I approached her account wit
Last Updated : 2026-09-19 Read more