Chapter 171

That message floated at the top of her screen like it weighed nothing: Don’t feel like coming up? Want me to bring it down? Claire Richards stared at the words, heart hanging mid-air. After a long pause, she finally replied: Already ate, heading to work now. The second she hit send, she locked the phone screen and tossed it aside. Even in the early morning, summer sun was already scorching—blazing hot on her skin, making her squint, messing with her head, making it hard to breathe… She hated this feeling. Hated it to the core. Eyes watering from the piercing light, she squinted and, in that moment where everything felt weirdly empty and surreal, she yanked the sunshade down hard and, with her face calm, turned on the engine. She told herself—she wasn’t going to let her emotions tie her down. Not a chance. No one could do that to her. ＊＊＊ Claire stepped into the office. Half an hour later, Julian Archer and Michael Reed arrived too. She grabbed her laptop and walked out to greet them. “