Mason’s penthouse was quiet, the city lights just starting to glow in the evening below. The calm was broken by the low murmur of voices. Mason sat with his lawyer, Peter, and two men in plain suits. They were private investigators.A folder to grainy photos and flight logs lay open on the glass coffee table. “Still no clear destination,” one investigator said, and pointed to a page. “The flight plan was changed last minute. We are looking at possible stops in Switzerland or Austria, but we can not confirm who he met.”Peter looked worried. “This is taking too long. He been out for days. We need to know what he is doing.”Mason’s phone buzzed with a calendar alert….Board Strategy - Clara. He ignored it. “Forget the trip for now. We need to focus on the next Lotus vote. We need something solid on Vance to sway the undecided board members. Something that makes him looks reckless, not just absent.”The other investigator leaned forward and asked in a low tone, “What about his company? W

The library in Dante’s mansion was warm and quiet. Dante sat in a large armchair by the fire, with Daisy curled contentedly on his lap as he red fromma book about adventurous rabbits. Her small fingers traced the pictures, and for a moment, the world outside—the boardrooms, the spies, the lawsuits—did not exist. The door opened softly, and Elena, the housekeeper, stepped in, and said carefully, “Excuse me, Mr Dante. A Ms. Eva Stewart is at the door. She says she needs to see you.” Dante rolled his eyes slightly and nodded, then he replied calmly, “Alright, Elena. Send her in.” A moment later, Eva swept into the room, as a burst of energy in a stylish coat. Her dramatic entrance was immediately interrupted. “Auntie Eva!” Daisy cried happily as she sprang from Dante’a lap. She ran across the rug and lunched herself at Eva, who caught her with a genuine laugh. “Well, hello there, little miss!” Eva said happily, as she squeezed Daisy gently. “You have gotten so big! Are you

Dante was in his study, reviewing the latest Vertex trial data, when there was a soft knock on the the open door. He looked up to see Eleanor standing there, with a straight posture and sharp eyes.“Eleanor. Come in. Is everything alright?”“Everything is progressing,” she said softly as she stepped inside. Then she turned around and closed the door quietly behind her. “I need a favor, Dante. I need a lawyer. Caleb. I need him here, as soon as possible.”Dante dropped his tablet, surprised and said calmly, “Of course. But may I ask why? Are you ready to reopen your custody case? I told you, Caleb can start the paperwork immediately.”Eleanor smiled and shook her head. Then she said sternly, “Not yet. The foundations is not yet shaken. Mason is still standing so firmly. If I go to court now, he will use all his power to crush the motion, and I will look like a bitter ex wife causing trouble. No. I need to shake the ground beneath his feet first.”Dante leaned back in his chair and aske

The organic grocery store was a place of abundance, it’s building all polished wood and filled with soft lighting. Eva was in the produce section with two of her girl friends, comparing the ripeness of avocados, in a low conversation filled with weekend plans and boutique gossip.“I am telling you, the heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market are better,” said Chloe, one of her friends.“But the convenience—” Eva began, then stopped. A familiar, icy voice cut through the calm air from behind her.“Well, Look who it is.”Eva’s shoulders tensed. She did not need to turn around to know it was Clara. She took a slow breath and placed the avocado back in the bin, and the turned slowly. Clara stood a few feet away, holding a basket which contained a single, expensive bottle of mineral water. Her expression was filled with pure, polished disdain.“Clara,” Eva said flatly.Eva’s friends, Sasha and Chloe, fell silent as they sensed the frigid shift in air around them.“Do not let me interrup

Mason and Peter were in Clara’s living room. Peter had just finished telling a dry, insider joke about a rival businessman, and Mason was laughing. The mood was light, calm and untroubled.Then suddenly, the front door slammed open, hitting the wall in the process with a loud bang, and both men jumped.Clara stormed in, but not in her usual angry energy. This time, her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy. Her makeup was smudged. She looked less like a furious socialite and more like a woman who had been publicly shattered.Mason’s smile vanished and he shot a quick, irritated glance at Peter, then hurried across the room as he schooled his face into a concerned expression.“Clara, my darling! What happened? Are you hurt?” He asked softly as he took her hands, which where were cold as ice.She shook her head as a sob caught her throat, then she croaked, “It was….it was Eva.” she hissed in frustration.Mason guided her to a sofa, and sat her down, while he perched beside her, w