CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - THE ARCHITECT AND THE FLIRT

A message from an unknown number lit up the screen: "Hi Emma, it's James from the meeting today. I hope you don't mind, I got your number from the client list. I was wondering if you'd like to grab coffee sometime?" Before she could process the invitation, her phone rang. Marcus's name flashed on the screen. Emma's thumb hovered over the answer button, her mind reeling from the rapid-fire events. She took a deep breath and accepted the call. "Hey," Marcus's voice came through, a mix of nervousness and excitement. "I was wondering if you found anything... unusual in my wallet earlier?" Emma's breath caught in her throat. "I... yes, I did. A receipt from Tiffany's." There was a pause on the other end. "Ah, I see. I was hoping to surprise you, but I guess the cat's out of the bag now." "Marcus, what's going on?" Emma asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'd rather not discuss it over the phone. Can we meet tomorrow? I promise I'll explain everything." Emma nodded, then realiz