The Promotion

Chapter Forty-Nine

Twelve hours.

That was how long my mind had been spiralling, relentlessly replaying the image of Sarah and Calum sitting together in that ice cream parlour. Twelve hours of unanswered questions, of my thoughts chasing each other in exhausting circles.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make sense of it.

Sarah and Calum. Together. In the evening. Laughing.

My thoughts spun like a Ferris wheel—round and round until I felt dizzy, nauseous from the constant motion. One part of me tried desperately to be rational. There was nothing wrong with two people grabbing ice cream together. They'd known each other for years. Friends did that.

But then the other voice crept in.

The quieter one. The sharper one.

The one that reminded me how distant Sarah had been lately. How she avoided my questions. How she brushed things off too easily. How every instinct in my body was screaming that something wasn't right.

I paced the length of Lily's office, my heels clicking sharply against the floor as my thoughts clashed inside my head like gears grinding against one another. Lily's eyes followed me back and forth, her head turning slightly with every pass I made.

Finally, I stopped.

"Okay," I said suddenly, the word cutting through the room. "I've got it."

Lily straightened in her chair instantly.

"I want you to call someone from Sarah's department," I said firmly. "Anyone who works closely with her. Ask them to come up here. Now."

Lily didn't question me. She reached for the phone immediately, dialling without hesitation. I watched her speak in a low, neutral tone, requesting the person come upstairs. When she hung up, she pushed her glasses back into place and looked at me.

"All done."

I released a breath I hadn't realised I was holding. A plan was forming—whether it was a good idea or not, I didn't know. But I was done sitting with uncertainty. Today, I was finding answers.

While we waited, Lily glanced at her notebook. "While we have a moment... I wanted to talk to you about the engagement party."

The words hit me like a wrecking ball.

"Oh God," I muttered. "The engagement party."

I dragged a hand down my face, guilt flooding in. Between the trial preparations and my growing unease about Sarah, the party had slipped completely from my mind.

"I'm sorry, Lily. I really did just dump everything on you."

She smiled reassuringly. "It's fine. I've got everything under control. I just wanted to check—next Saturday still works? And is there anyone you want excluded from the guest list?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation. "Anyone connected to Charles."

Even saying his name felt wrong. Poisonous. My stomach twisted, and I had to steady myself before continuing.

"I don't want him—or anyone associated with him—anywhere near my home."

Lily nodded, scribbling a note. "Understood. One last thing—I thought it might be best to host it at home. Is that okay?"

"That's perfect," I said softly. "Thank you."

I crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you."

She smiled warmly—then the knock came.

Lily opened the door, and one of the women from Sarah's department stepped in, looking uncertain.