The folder sits in front of me like something alive. Something breathing. Something waiting. I hesitate before opening it, because a part of me knows that once I look inside, nothing about my life will resemble what it was before. Damian watches me with the stillness of a predator conserving energy. He does not rush me. He knows I will look. My curiosity and fear leave me no choice.
My fingers tremble slightly as I lift the cover. At first all I see is a stack of papers clipped neatly together. Then my eyes focus, and the numbers pull into meaning. Line after line. Column after column. Bold headings, lists, charts, totals that stretch wider than any logical world should allow.
Damages. That is the first word that hits me.
Below it, a list of losses. Lost investments. Partnership withdra
