The humidity from the balcony outside had left a faint condensation on the glass.

His suit jacket smeared the moisture as he moved.

“I need to speak to my attorney,” Victor said.

“I am the company’s attorney, Victor,” Evelyn said.

“And I am advising you to hand over the device.”

“You’re not my attorney,” he snapped.

“You work for the board.”

“Exactly,” Evelyn said.

“And the board has suspended you.”

Nathan walked over to the long mahogany table and laid the paper down.

He looked at me with a quiet sympathy that made me want to scream.

I didn’t want his pity.

I wanted the last ten years of my life back.

“Where is Brooke?” I asked.

The room went completely silent.

The air conditioning hummed in the ceiling vents, a low, constant vibration that shook the glass windows.

Victor’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.

“She isn’t at her apartment,” I said.

“I called her this morning.”

Victor’s head snapped toward me.

“Why did you call her?” he demanded.

“Because I wanted to know how much of my father’s life savings she was wearing on her wrist,” I said.