“The acoustics in the boardroom are far too clinical, Ms. Harper. If we’re going to discuss the auditory soul of this rebranding, we need to be in a space that understands resonance. My home has a music room that was built for exactly that.”

Lucian’s voice over the phone had been a study in practiced, corporate indifference, but the vibration of it had set Celeste’s teeth on edge. It was an invitation that felt more like a summons—a tactical maneuver disguised as a professional necessity.

Now, standing in the foyer of the Aldridge estate for the first time in two years, Celeste felt like a trespasser in her own memory....