Sebastian Cole’s pupils tightened. A slow breath left his lungs.
Damon Whitfield knew better than anyone how long his brother had been chasing this ghost. He leaned in, voice low.
“Maybe you should think harder. Is there any detail you’ve overlooked?”
Vera Song paused only a second before reaching into her bag again. This time she drew out a folded design sheet and set it carefully on the table. A faint flush colored her cheeks.
“Benefactor… have you seen this before?”
She kept her eyes lowered, almost shy.
“I presented this draft at a banquet years ago. You were there that night. For certain reasons I… couldn’t recognize you then.”
The evidence landed with quiet weight. Both men stilled.
Vera glanced at her phone and rose smoothly.
“I’ve taken far too much of your time t
