"Didn't someone come to summon me to your office this afternoon?" I asked, keeping my voice steady as I faced Elliot across the room. The memory still lingered, and my instincts refused to let it go unanswered.
His brow tightened slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his expression. "I didn't send anyone."
The answer landed cleanly, confirming what I had already begun to suspect. Grace had delivered the message, but she wouldn't have acted without a source. That meant someone had orchestrated the timing, guiding events into place so it would appear accidental rather than deliberate.
Hayley.
A quiet, cold understanding settled within me as I pieced it together. It was calculated, designed to create misunderstanding under the guise of coincidence, and for a brief moment, I allowed a faint sneer to form in my thoughts before I let it fade again.
