Chapter 234

• Julian had only been back for two days when the message arrived. It came not through my assistant, not through business channels, but as a simple note slipped under the boutique door.
• At first I thought it was another supplier introduction or perhaps a handwritten thank-you from a customer. The envelope was plain, the handwriting unfamiliar at a glance. But when I opened it and saw the name signed at the bottom, I froze.
• The envelope lay flat on my desk as though it did not want to be touched again. I had already opened it, already read the words once, but even with the paper sitting still, I felt the weight of them pressing against me.