Chapter 204

The cane beside his desk stood as a quiet reminder of how much he had lost. How much he continued to lose. The walls of the office, once a sanctuary of ambition and triumph, now felt like they were closing in. Murat gritted his teeth and reached for a glass of water. The moment the rim touched his lips, muffled voices drifted from outside.

Laughter? No. An argument.

His brow furrowed.

Berat? Definitely. He could recognize his best friend’s voice anywhere. But there was another voice—feminine, sharp yet soft—striking a deep, unsettling chord in his memory. Blonde hair flashed in his mind, unbidden and unwelcome. His heartbeat faltered.

No… it can’t be.

Frustrated, he pressed the intercom button.

“Mir!”

No response.

Again. Silence.

A slow dread crept into his chest. Setting the glass down with a trembling hand, Murat grabbed his cane. The sharp pain in his side made him hiss, but he forced himself up, step by agon