The tension that Marcus had left in his wake was more than a lingering presence—it was a dark cloud that seemed to cast its shadow over every corner of Damien’s world. Isabella could sense it in the way Damien’s gaze grew sharper, in the way his tone became clipped when he spoke of Marcus. She knew that they had only scratched the surface of whatever game Marcus was playing, and the stakes were higher than she had ever imagined.
The day started quietly, with Isabella working through a series of files that Damien had assigned. As she focused on the task, piecing together details of contracts and agreements, she noticed a pattern—a series of connections that led back to a name she hadn’t seen before.
Nathaniel Crane.
She jotted the name down, intrigued, her mind racing with questions. Jus
