Aubrey had anticipated that the table would be adorned with delicacies such as caviar and truffles, but the meal that was presented to her fell far short of her expectations. When she looked over at Collin sitting across the table from her, she noticed that he was staring at her, which made her feel uneasy. The manner in which he looked at her made it appear as though he was in the midst of a solemn discussion with the board of directors.

"Don’t you like the food, Jenny?” Aubrey shared this information with Jenny, who was sitting quietly next to her. "It's David’s favorite,” she added.

Before beginning to speak,...