Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
The envelope sat in the center of the table like an unexploded bomb.
Dante stared at it.
Camille stared at it.
Even Adrian looked completely frozen.
The city beyond the glass walls continued moving as normal.
Cars.
People.
Business.
Life.
But inside the conference room, everything had stopped.
Because Chanel Sinclair had just said something that made absolutely no sense.
"I was sent here by my mother fifteen years ago."
Silence.
Dante's voice finally broke through it.
"What?"
The single word sounded colder than ice.
Chanel didn't look away.
"My mother knew this day would come."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Firmly.
Absolutely.
Dante's expression hardened.
"Nobody predicts fifteen years into the future."
"I know how it sounds."
"It sounds insane."
For the first time, Chanel actually smiled.
A small smile.
Humorless.
"Took me years to accept it too."
Camille felt her pulse quicken.
