f Gordonis Corp, her palms damp against the folder she clutched to her chest. The air around her

: "You're assigned to our new

p breath and o

through floor-to-ceiling windows. At the far end, seated in a black leather chair,

e entered. Tall.

sharp mouth and jawline. He wore a dark tailored suit, perfectly fitted, a single si

somethi

pres

ow, polished, but oddly familiar. The way

e regaining her composure. "Don Ala

the seat across

nting the financial projections, she couldn't help but glance up at him now and then. The way he tilted

her chest twi

dr

nded the sentencing, watched him vanish behind iron do

. "We've consolidated our overs

haunted by ghosts," he interr

osa

t, she swore she felt eyes boring into her soul. And that voice... deeper

?" she asked, forc

," he repeated, slowly, "you look like someo

eart pounding. "I'm no

ink y

on the numbers on the page, but they blurred before her eyes. Flashbacks assaulted her, Andre laughing wi

The way he'd looked at her when she

I came here to d

raveled before him. "Let's discuss how you're going to help reb

bristled

don't worry. I find that truth always has a

. "If there's nothing more you need from me, I'll re

now. But I expect y

ht in her thro

idn't see the flicker of pain

-

icked shut

a long moment. Then, with slow precisi

hed across his right temple, a thin one dragging through his brow. His

rdonis w

ng down at the city below, the empire

, he thought. She didn't fight for me.

lp him ruin every

udin

ially

t the door bro

a voice fr

ulled the mask

ued, she was the last woman he expected to trust, she's the daughter of one

ile. "Hermosa Rod

abou

ovements since your... disappearance. Nothing too suspicious. But...." she pulled a remote from her pocket

A moment later, the camera zoomed in on Don Ala

pause. "T

emained

r eyes. "You sure t

n't re

ugh some private databases. One hit, eighty-s

hen delete the search and

the screen. "She suspects som

t h

"And when she final

made her choice. Six years ago.

t are you

dropped to

ven

-

all in the women's restroom, trying to catch her bre

someone haun

She alway

What she'd done... what she hadn't done... it all lived in

ad cornered her. Threatened her ailing

ill made t

here in court and

her pocket, yanking

o

second, then silenced the cal

er that

ing into the e

-

Don Alaric poured himself a drink. The mask w

han he had ever been before the fall. But pain did that,

u're ready

oked

r w

small, kn

r you just

Alaric, Andre smiled too. No

that night, sat at her desk,

us

o

ha

jawline. The c

ed to the empty room. "So, it

overed above

nd the whole w

he USB drive, slipped it into

ost would remai

ot fo