Chapter 294

I had never been comfortable around Emmett Carlisle. He was Yvaine's older brother—tall, sharp-featured, and always dressed in dark suits that seemed to make his edges even sharper. If Yvaine was sunlight, Emmett was steel. He carried himself like a man who measured every word before letting it out, and most of the time, he decided that silence was better. When I called him to ask for a meeting, he agreed, but I could hear the unspoken question in his voice: Why me? Why now? We met in his office, a glass-walled space high above the city, with views stretching to the harbor. The shelves were lined with files, ledgers, and a few awards. Nothing personal, not even a photo frame. It was the office of someone who believed sentiment had no place in business. "Mirabelle," he said when I walked in, his tone clipped. He stood, shook my hand briefly, and gestured for me to sit. "Thank you for seeing me," I said, settling into the leather chair opposite his desk. He watched me for a long moment,