spilled through the tall

ked peaceful, but Av

barely

t meeting replayed agai

ad destroyed

ing for the same

o had

blazer and stepped

r heels echoed in

office, she stopped a

ed softly on t

is voice sai

ente

s gray eyes were calm, but they

, Miss Montgo

ning," sh

h a faint smile. "Either you enjoy

politely. "

ent, then said quietly, "Y

pretending to check f

her hands we

rom the night before, angry and

give the Montgomery family

hour, the offi

numbers in front of her, b

uiet. "Did you attend t

fted quickl

unge," he said. "Yo

tone. "He did not

er face. "You

she said quietly. "

n his chair, sti

her feel as though he was t

utes, he stood.

inked.

. "There is something

ed him dow

ned with glass walls

conference room with a wide windo

ps me think,"

autiful,"

ity, and everything seems calm. But under that calm, t

y. "You speak like a man w

o her. "May

yes met

ment, neither

ilence had its

y and gestured toward

oming projects. I

ned the

venture between Kane Enterpr

en she saw her fa

ks risky," sh

hy

nsfer of funds that does not appear in the summary.

. "You know your fath

id softly. "I grew

ired the wrong Montgomery. You

ile. "I will take t

ft for a meeting, Ava st

p and copied the fil

t stealing

gatherin

came through

to him, Ava. This i

le it," Ava

You should have heard his tone in the news interview this morn

"He suspect

he new person in hi

d. "Then I will just

h," Nina said. "You a

t get burned,"

ing, Leo

sion was u

o his desk and dropp

our father to

oice steady. "

range. He kept asking

tightened.

you were performing, if I trusted yo

lt dry. "What d

Leo said. "That I do not

ll smile. "That

arefully. "Do yo

stopped fo

is eyes.

s on what you are hi

held for a

rst. "I should fin

desk, but his though

words, her calmness,

her seemed perf

posed, always read

ed real, but something i

air. "Who are you, Ava M

ght, Ava left

ted again, li

t tighter and walk

different now,

d the parking l

ing near his

l here?" she

me," he said. "You seem

et places,"

. "But quiet can be dange

efully. "Maybe that i

or her to see the faint reflectio

to you than you want

"Maybe there is. M

econds, then smiled too. "

you will tr

s do," h

yes met

ronger than before, mixed with s

ed back. "Goo

ght, Mr

ve, his car disappe

od there, letting the

softly, "You alre

r apartment, Ava

below, and her computer

ew files she had

numbers, and hidd

e made her

or K

trembled

s fa

d used his company to push Victor Kan

ight there, wri

dea. And I am working for t

through her phone.

efused to let fall. "I found the t

tay away from him,"

I cannot. Not yet. Not

at in his apartment, s

lf a drink but

er smile, the way she looked whe

any people li

ies felt

ike they came from p

, "What are you hid

deep down, he already knew