~ Elara ~
Before I could demand clarification, we were approached by a striking woman with sharp features—the same assistant who had accompanied Caleb at the coffee shop.
"Mr. Stone," she said, her tone professional but her eyes cool as they assessed me. "Dr. Chen is asking for you."
"Lyra," Caleb acknowledged with a nod. "This is Elara Winters. Elara, my Chief Operations Officer, Lyra Thorn."
"Pleasure," Lyra said, though her expression suggested otherwise. "I've heard so much about you."
"Funny," I replied, meeting her gaze steadily. "I've heard almost nothing about you."
Lyra's eyes narrowed slightly, but Caleb's low chuckle eased the tension. "Elara isn't one to mince words, Lyra. A quality I find refreshing."
A silent communication seemed to pass between them—the type born of y
