Chapter 42: A Door Slightly Open
That night, the mansion felt like it held its breath.
Lena stood at the edge of Jay’s office, where he had summoned her with a simple message: Come if you're ready. She hesitated at the door, her hand hovering over the handle. The weight of his promise clung to her—one night, full honesty, no more masks.
She finally stepped inside.
Jay was there, leaning against his mahogany desk, sleeves rolled to his elbows, a half-empty glass of whiskey in hand. The warm glow of the desk lamp cut shadows across his face, making him look both impossibly beautiful and haunted.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” he said.
“I almost didn’t,” Lena admitted, closing the door behind her.
Jay gestured to the chair across from him, but Lena shook her head. “No. If we’re doing thi
