**Sophia’s POV**
I stared at the **photo** on Nicholas’ desk, my pulse steady, my expression unreadable.
A **corpse.**
Badly decayed.
Unrecognizable.
Yet, something about it **clawed at my mind**, like a memory just out of reach.
Nicholas stood across from me, his arms folded, his **orb-green gaze locked onto me** like he was waiting to see what I would do.
*"Your stepmother’s name came up."*
His words echoed in my head, sending a sharp **sting of unease** down my spine.
Bayley.
The woman who had spent **years** manipulating everything in her favor. The woman who was willing to **poison her own husband** to steal everything he built.
And now?
Her name was tied to **this.**
I inhaled slowly, forcing my fingers to unclench. “You’re sure?”
Nicholas’ e
