Anna's POV
Nora's eyes flickered briefly before she took a deliberate sip of her wine. The crystal glass caught the light, casting ruby shadows across the pristine tablecloth.
"About two years ago, we met at an industry cocktail event," she said, her voice unnervingly calm. "Kieran slipped something into my drink."
My stomach clenched as though I'd swallowed ice. I recognized the flat affect in her voice-the protective numbness that comes from retelling a trauma you've learned to package neatly for others.
"A woman like me can't survive among these powerful men without some form of protection," Nora continued, absently tracing the rim of her glass. "I recorded everything-his behavior, his words, his... attempts. All of it."
"Wasn't that dangerous?" I whispered, my appetite suddenly gone.
