Chapter 10

The heavily sealed envelope lay on Mara’s polished kitchen island, a stark white rectangle against the dark marble. Its official letterhead – Department of Child and Family Services – was a brand burned into her carefully constructed calm. Adrian stood across from her, a coffee cup forgotten in his hand, his gaze sharp on the paper, then on her. He’d arrived unexpectedly early, catching her before she could hide the morning's unwelcome delivery. The air in the penthouse, usually a cool, controlled space, now hummed with a dangerous charge, colder