CHAPTER 51

Philip sat at his desk in the dimly lit office, staring blankly at the stack of documents before him. The weight of recent events pressed heavily on his shoulders, and the noise of the city outside seemed distant, almost muted. He couldn’t focus on work, not with everything that had happened. The memory of his last conversation with Jessica played over and over in his mind, her voice trembling with something she hadn’t said. There was something she was holding back, and it gnawed at him.

A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” Philip called out, his voice rough from the long hours of silence.

The door creaked open, and Marcus, his long-time assistant, stepped in, holding a folder. “Sir, the board is asking for an update on the Lane situation,” Marcus said, his tone careful. He could see the strain on Philip’s face.

Philip sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. “Tell them I’m working on it. I’ll give them something concrete by the end of the week.”

“Understood,” Marc