The silence in the room was heavy, so much so that Ceci could feel it pressing down on her lungs. Her face froze, the color draining as if someone had siphoned the blood from her cheeks. Her nails dug into her palms, leaving crescent-shaped marks against her skin as she clenched her trembling hands.

Michael Helwart stood across from her, tall, unyielding, radiating a cold dominance that filled every inch of the lounge. His navy suit was sharp, impeccable as always, but his gaze those glacial ...