Louise's gaze tracked Davina as she exited, maintaining that polite bow until the door sealed behind her.
The tension radiating from Davina's rigid shoulders hadn't escaped Louise's notice, nor had the way she'd kept her chin tucked down. Grace defined her movements, yet something else lingered beneath—the practiced art of someone who'd mastered invisibility, who could fade into shadows even while standing center stage.
Louise's attention remained fixed on the door until the soft click echoed through the silence.
A breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding escaped as she settled back into her leather chair.
The girl had no clue. Zero awareness that Irvin controlled every inch of this empire. And Louise's instincts about their departure from Meridian seemed spot-on. Something deeper had driven them away, something that left scars.
When Davina's name first appeared on the candidate list, Louise had assumed it was some cruel joke.
