Elena's POV
"You wanted to see me?"
Damian looked up from his desk, surprise flickering briefly across his face before settling into something more careful. "I didn't send for you."
"Ruth said you did." I stepped into his office anyway, the lie sliding out before I'd fully decided to use it, my heart already hammering against my ribs at what I was about to do. "My mistake. I can go."
"Stay." He set down his pen, leaning back slightly in his chair, studying me with an expression I couldn't quite read. "Since you're here. How's the gala coming?"
"Fine. Almost done with the seating chart." I sat in the chair across from him, folding my hands in my lap to keep them from betraying how unsteady I felt. The texter's message had been sitting in my chest all day like a stone, and I'd spent the
