The day stretched long and heavy — meetings, calls, interviews. Tracy had smiled through every appearance Alex arranged, her polished answers hiding the storm building beneath her skin. Every camera flash reminded her of Carter’s trap waiting to explode.
By the time night fell, the city outside Alex’s penthouse shimmered like a restless sea of lights. Tracy sat cross-legged on the couch, laptop balanced on her knees, eyes burning from hours of digging through files Sophie had sent. She wasn’t sure when Alex had come out of his office, but his presence filled the space before he even spoke.
“You’ve been at that for five hours,” he said quietly. “Eat something.”
Tracy didn’t look up. “If I find one more link between Carter’s PR firm and your board, I might lose my appetite permanently.”
