Gianna lay back against the pillows, eyes unfocused, staring at a point just above Athena's shoulder as the weight of the new information settled in her chest.
Zane.
The name felt like a stone dropped into still water, ripples spreading outward—corporate, public, vicious. She could already see the headlines forming in her mind, sharp and merciless.
Whitman Heir Implicated in Assassination Attempt.Rival Designer Targeted Hours After Major Win. The damage wouldn't be subtle. It never was.
Zane's company would bleed for this.
She swallowed, throat tight, and shifted slightly on the bed, the movement stiff and careful. The dull ache in her head flared in protest, but she ignored it.
What bothered more was the thought of what this accusation would cost him. Investors fleeing. Contracts frozen. Trust evaporating overnight.
And the bitter irony of it all twisted something ugly in her gut.
