Her world stopped spinning the moment she heard Charles Montgomery’s name. The air in Damian’s office suddenly felt thick and suffocating. She gripped the arms of her chair, her knuckles turning white as the implications of Jackson’s words sank in.

“Charles? Are you certain?” Her voice came out as a whisper.

Damian’s eyes were fixed on her. “Elara, who is Charles Montgomery?”

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “He was... he is... my mentor. The man who gave me my first real chance in the corporate world.” The words tasted bitter in her mouth.

Memories flooded back unbidden: Charles’s encouraging smile on her first day, his patient...