The next day.
Frederick left for work unusually early, prompted by pressing matters at CEG. Leah had just begun brushing her teeth when she heard the familiar sound of the Cullinan engine. She rushed to the window, catching only the fleeting silhouette of the car vanishing into the distance.
Frederick had never left so early before, especially not with such urgency.
Leah felt a sense of unease. When she noticed the fluctuations in CEG’s stock prices and heard rumors of Quinlan’s return, she had already sensed a storm brewing. She could almost see the invisible weight Frederick carried, and it tugged at her heart.
Last night, when Frederick had brought up the unfamiliar bottles in her cabinet, she had deflected with a plausible excuse. The truth was simple: she didn’t want to be
