QUEEN'S hand shook with rage as she stared at her phone screen, the call abruptly ended by Oswald. He had hung up on her. The audacity, the sheer gall! With a furious snarl, she slammed the phone onto her desk, the sharp clatter echoing through the quiet office. Her chest heaved, every breath fueled by anger, disbelief, and humiliation.

She clenched her fists tightly, feeling her manicured nails dig into her palms. Wasn't this the same Oswald who had escorted her to the charity gala last night? The same Oswald who had smiled, well, as much as Oswald ever smiled, for the cameras, stood beside her, and made her the...