Chapter 22

Another late fall season arrived. A high-profile charity gala was being held in the grand ballroom of the city's most luxurious hotel. Sabrina attended the gala as a guest of honor and honorary advisor, while The Sabrina Foundation was one of the event's co-hosts. Before the gala began, the backstage hallway bustled with people—staff, guests, and reporters weaving in and out. Sabrina was walking toward the lounge while quietly discussing her upcoming stage remarks with the foundation's director, Henry Walker. As they rounded a corner, she nearly collided with a man coming the other way. He was thin, dressed in a well-fitting but slightly worn black suit, his hair neatly combed. He was looking down at a document in his hands. When the man looked up, their eyes met. Time seemed to freeze in that instant. Nester froze where he stood like a statue, flash-frozen in place. The document slipped from his hand and hit the floor. He stared at her unblinkingly and hungrily, as if he was t