CHAPTER SEVEN - WHEN SECRETS LEAVE

Emma glanced at the clock - 10:23 AM. She'd been at work for over an hour and hadn't accomplished a single task. "Focus, Emma," she muttered, opening a new tab. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before typing: "Victoria Pierce Boston." The search results populated, and Emma's heart raced as she clicked on Victoria's LinkedIn profile. There it was, plain as day: "Marketing Director at Apex Innovations, Boston - Started June 2023." "Shit," Emma whispered, leaning back in her chair. Victoria had been in Boston right under her nose. She scrolled through Victoria's profile, each accomplishment feeling like a personal attack. MBA from Harvard. Award-winning campaigns. Volunteer work with children's charities. "Perfect little miss sunshine, aren't you?" Emma grumbled. A knock at her office door made her jump. Her assistant, Jen, poked her head in. "Emma? The Harrington collection meeting starts in five minutes." Emma nodded, forcing a smile. "Thanks, Jen. I'll be right there." As