Whisper in the Dark

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usand reflections that never seemed to fit together. Her entire existence felt precariou

g unseen and sinister tugging at the edges of her certa

ent, distant headlights flashing, the occasional sound of hurried footsteps. She shoul

half-empty tumbler of whiskey-and stared a

n came

ought she imagined it. A low, h

k. K

fingers froze mid-air,

ould

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y she kept in her pocket. Her heart was drumming now, each beat loud a

ck to come again, this ti

sn't r

ook a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Her body

legs fel

n the doorknob and turned it slow

th

n was

tailored suit was dark and sleek, his shoulders broad, his face shadowed under the faint light of her desk lamp. His hair

as something about him, an unspoken c

His voice was

he door or step back. Her voice came out hoarse,

s ask

't waver. "El

her like a li

hat name-the successful billionaire businessman

e standing in

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to her space like he belonged there. The scent of his colo

s voice smooth as silk, but every word

, her hand still on the doorknob

ice stronger this time, more defi

dropped a fraction. "The kind of things t

e glanced toward her phone on the

but he ignored her. His gaze seemed to search the air it

d, Amara," he said smo

ng in the ai

to her space. It wasn't just his physical presence-his voice, his words, the

ut you need to leave," she manage

hen-a slow, dangerou

'll want to

g on the table. A briefcase-black, leather,

e. She felt a gut instinct that whatever was

he asked, her voi

table, the briefcase between them like a symbol of power and danger. His eyes met hers,

is voice chilling. "To decide whether you want a

eel her legs shaking as her mind grappled with the unease

air creaking under his weight as he picked

he repeated, his wor

ng into the dark hallway, leaving her alone w

felt col

e closed door, h

d just

ad he

. His voice.

though her entire worl

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, but now it felt distorted, alien. Amara felt

, she couldn't shake the fe

a lon

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