Chapter 30

• PENELOPE
• Lucas’ office still smelled the same—faint hints of espresso and the ever-present scent of old books stacked neatly behind him.
• He sat behind his desk, flipping through a file, dressed in a crisp navy-blue suit. He had always dressed like a businessman, but something about today felt off. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t wearing a tie or that his shirt sleeves were slightly rolled up, as if he had been too tired to maintain his usual pristine look.