Chapter 76 3 The Pull

• Zara sat at her kitchen table the next morning, staring at her laptop. She had typed up everything from the night before, the names she remembered, bits of conversations, the layout of the mansion. Marcus had already texted her twice asking if she was okay. She replied with a simple “I’m fine. I got good material. Will call later.”
• But her mind kept drifting back to Damien. The way he looked at her. The easy way they talked. The text he sent right as she was leaving. She told herself it was just part of the job. Get close, get information, get out. Still, when a new black envelope slid through her mail slot two days later, her stomach flipped.
• This one had a short handwritten note from Damien: *Private dinner Friday. Just a few of us. I’d like to see you again.* Zara read it many times. She knew she should ignore it or send it straight to Marcus. Instead, she found herself picking out a deep red dress that made her feel both powerful and exposed.