But when the door opened, it wasn't Evelyn—it was a tall man dressed in a black suit with a silver badge clipped neatly to his belt.
Behind him stood two other plainclothes officers, all carrying the same expression.
"Are you Lauren Remington?" the man asked, his voice low but clear.
Lauren's heart skipped. Her eyes darted from the man to his companions, and for the first time in a long while, panic prickled beneath her skin.
She had never had visitors like this—people who carried the weight of the law in their very presence. But she straightened her posture, tried to play it cool.
"I… I am. What's this about?" she asked, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
The man took a step forward, reaching into his coat pocket. The handcuffs glinted under the office lights as he pulled them out.
"Lauren Remington, you're under arrest for the murder of Sebastian Hale. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
