The office was abnormally silent for noon. Whispers were carried like drafts under doors, too low to catch but insistent enough to distract. Adeline could tell something was amiss when she came back from her meeting—heads turned, eyes tracked her, and Nathan gave a cautionary look as she passed by.
She didn't have to wait long to discover why.
The elevator bell rang. Out came Seraphina Wynn.
She was just as radiant in person as in the tabloids—tall, poised, sheathed in a dignified coat that was an advertisement for old money and new drive. Her heels clicked sharply against the tile as she strode through reception as if she belonged there.
Adeline watched from a distance, one hand frozen above her keyboard. The woman who had fueled tabloid headlines all week was now standing in the same hallway. And the buzz? It wasn't just office gossip anymore.
Seraphina's eyes scanned the room and, when they landed on Adeline, her lips curved in a smile—pleasant, polished, unreadable.
"Adeline Moore, is it?" she asked as she approached, her voice warm and smooth.
Adeline rose to her feet, unruffled but cautious. "That's me."
Seraphina provided a polite bow. "I've heard your name a few times. Elias talks about you."
Adeline blinked but remained lighthearted in tone. "Hope-fully in full sentences."
Seraphina chuckled, not quite sincerely. "Oh, yes. He's not as taciturn as people suppose—at least, not around the right people."
Adeline provided a polite smile back. "And what do you bring to Waylen today?"
Before Seraphina could respond, another voice interrupted.
"Seraphina."
Elias was standing by his office, impassive as usual. He didn't step forward, didn't smile. Simply said her name as a statement, not a greeting.
Seraphina spun around. "Elias. I was nearby and thought we could discuss—the shareholders' dinner next week."
His face didn't change. "We can discuss it inside."
He hardly even looked at Adeline before he took Seraphina into his office. The door closed with a click behind them.
Adeline slowly sat down, the hair on the back of her neck standing up. She didn't want to think about it—but the ball of tension in her chest refused to dissipate.
Whatever this was, it wasn't an innocent social visit.