015

Astor sat in his office, staring at the screen of his laptop. His mind was elsewhere, his usual focus splintered by a growing sense of unease. Something wasn’t adding up. Charlotte’s sudden presence in his life had already complicated things, but now William’s interest in her was tipping the balance further.

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the desk as he replayed the interactions he’d witnessed between Charlotte and William. The stolen glances, the tension that crackled in their conversations—it all felt deliberate, like a move on a chessboard he hadn’t anticipated.

But confronting Charlotte wasn’t the answer—not yet. He needed more information, and he...