Rain tapped on the tall windows, a soft drumbeat against the hushed mood in the room. The stranger Marcus Kane stood at the threshold, water dripping from his coat. Brielle closed the door behind him, heart racing.
“Come in,” she whispered, voice unsteady.
Marcus stepped forward, his face harsh yet familiar in some forgotten way. He carried a leather folder, worn at the edges. He placed it carefully on the desk.
“I was Fiona’s colleague,” he said, eyes locking with Brielle’s. “We worked together at Avanzini Research years ago.”
Brielle hesitated, but didn’t turn to Adrian, standing behind her. She understood this man could change everything.
“What did Fiona tell you?” she asked, hands resting on the folder.
He opened it, revealing a photograph of Fiona, younger, vibrant, standing in
