Charlotte returned to her office and immediately noticed a message from

Jonathan.

Around four thirty that afternoon, she arrived at the Sleep Research Institute, where Jonathan was waiting.

It wasn’t until she stepped inside that she realized, with some surprise, this was the very institute named in the project proposal Tricia had given her.

Jonathan stood up to greet her, his trademark teasing never far away. “Charlotte, I was beginning to think you’d gotten lost. This ce isn’t exactly huge, but it’s easy enough to get turned around.”

She took a seat on the couch, ncing around the room. “This ce belongs to you?”

Jonathan poured her some tea. “Not really. I just have a stake in it. Why do you

ask?”

Charlotte shook her head and got straight to the point. “Did you really get those witness statements?”

“Of course.” Jonathan pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and ced it on the table in front of her. “Take a look.”

Charlotte unfolded the note.

The name “Howard” leapt out at her.

She felt the room sway for a moment.

Howard…

Evander?

But she’d tried probing Evander about it that night. He hadn’t shown even the slightest hint of unease. Was it possible he could hide the truth so bwell/bb? /b

b“/bJonathan, are you sure this is the name they bgave/bb?/bb” /b

bJonathan sighed/b. b“/bbI /basked bthem several /bbtimes/bb. /bbThat’s /bbwhat /bbthey /bsaid. bAnd /bbthey /bbadded /bbthat /bbwhoever /bbit /bbwas/bb, /bbthey’d /bbnever /bbdare cross /bbsomeone /bbwith /bbthat /bbkind /bbof /bbbackground/bb./bb” /bbHe /bbtook /bba /bbslow /bbsip /bbof /bbtea/bb, /bbhis /bbgaze /bbthoughtful/bb. /b“bHonestly/bb, /bbwho /bbelse /bbcould /bbit /bbbe /bbbut /bbthe /bbHoward /bbfamily/bb?/b”

bCharlotte’s /bbgrip /bblightened /bbon /bbthe /bbnote/bb, /bbnearly /bbcrumpling /bit bin /bbher /bfist.

After a moment, she drew a deep breath. “Thank you, Jonathan. Let me buy you dinner sometime.”

Jonathan arched an eyebrow, grinning. “You said it. Don’t me me if I eat you out of house and home.”

She managed a smile. “I’ll take my chances.”

As Jonathan walked her downstairs, a small group approached from the other end of the corridor.

Leading them was a man in a charcoal tailored suit with an old–world ir–refined, assured, the kind of presence that made you feel you’d seen him somewhere before, even if you hadn’t.

But Charlotte had.

Her steps faltered as she recognized him instantly.

It was Evander,

He climbed the steps at an unhurried pace, nked by colleagues engaged in casual conversation. He responded asionally, his manner measured and

courteous.

When his eyes met hers, Evander’s expression didn’t change. He simply looked away, continuing his conversation as if she weren’t there.

Charlotte’s hand, hanging at her side, clenched so tightly her knuckles ached.

As he walked past, Jonathan spoke up. “Mr. Howard, aren’t you going to say hello to an old friend?”

Charlotte looked at Jonathan in shock, not expecting him to call out to Evander.

A few of Evander’spanions recognized Jonathan as a shareholder and said

nothing.

Evander adjusted his watch, turning back bwith /bba /bcool, bunreadable /blook. b“/bI bdon’t /bbelieve Mr. Pembroke band /bbI /bbare /bclose benough /bbto /bbwarrant /bthat, bare /bbwe/bb?/bb” /b

“bOh/bb? /bbJonathan’s /bbsmile /bbdidn’t /bbfade/bb. /bb“/bbFunny/bb, /bbthat’s /bbnot /bbhow /bbit /bbseemed /bbst /bbtime/bb. /b

bThen /byou must bbe /bbmisremembering/bb, /bbMr. /bbPembroke/bb. /bbWith /bbthat/bb, /bbEvander /bbdidn’t /bpause banother /bbsecond/bb. /b

bEven /bbhere /bbhe /bbhadn’t /bbexchanged /bba /bbsingle /bbword /bbwith /bbCharlotte/b.

Just like always,

In public, they were strangers.

That had never changed.

Charlotte wasn’t even sure how she made it outside. Her mind was nk, her steps unsteady. She would have tripped on the stairs if Jonathan hadn’t caught her arm. “Watch your step.”

She started, ncing down.

There were steps in front of her.

Flushing, she murmured, “Sorry, I was distracted.”

Jonathan looked genuinely concerned. “Are you sure you’re alright? You’re okay to drive?”

She managed a smallugh. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to risk my life being careless.”

She valued her life far too much for that.