t the single cupcake

ting swirl,

rthday to me,

silent, vast and

' d lived here

of this opul

't buzzed once

all, no

busy, a big merg

birt

birthda

, a stone in her ches

oed, quiet and final. A

smoke curled upwards, disap

pcake. Her appetite was

front door open

ha

itchen, briefcase in

d tired,

he said, not a questio

upcake. Or if he did

Sarah said, her voice sof

, already moving

e office. L

Is the coffee ready for t

an. Timed

continued up wit

t." No "how

xpectation

e cupcake, throwi

ly as she reached into h

thick envelope.

d drawn them

his morning, her sig

free him. To spare him t

o care for a dying

d the shower running in t

d up, her hear

bedroom, already on his lapt

him, screen lit up

ica Vance. Sarah sa

end, recently divorced, plan

ll thought about her

decision eas

elope on his desk,

eyes still on his screen,

e papers

d up, a frown cr

ing about? Is this

was sharp,

keeping her voice stead

leaning back

ous, Sarah. You' re

uld have a fit. This merger is crit

aid. "This is about us. Or the lack of us. I want to

ught of

s, some kind of power play? You think this w

shifting. His anger was

bailed out your family' s newspaper, 'The Clarion.'

n the brink of ruin. Yes, Arthur Hayes Sr. had orches

ad a quiet, long-standing crush on him. She' d h

hope, lon

her voice barely above a whisper, yet firm.

ion unreadable for a moment,

o my lawyer. I don' t ha

to his laptop,

t, the unspoken verdict of he

sk why. He d

the confirmat

he room, leaving him to his wo

, fading horizon. But this fir