The call came on a Monday morning, the kind where the sky looked grey even if the sun was shining. Sofia had barely sat down at her desk when Carrie’s voice floated out of her office. It was calm, steady and way too firm for that early hour. It sent a ripple of dread straight through her.
Inside the office, Joan was already perched by the window with her iced latte, sipping like she was judging the world one taste at a time. Damien lounged on the sofa, ankle resting on his knee as if posing for a fashion editorial. His blazer looked painfully designer, his watch sparkled like it had opinions, and his smirk could cut diamonds. Damien had been with Echelon almost as long as Carrie. They were friends before deadlines existed for them, bonded by a shared love for glossy stories and the dramat
