A jolt of electricity surged through Anna's body, snapping her upright against the headboard.
She hadn't even heard him enter—not a single footstep, not the faintest shift in the air. And judging by the way Daniel practically jumped out of his chair, he hadn't either.
But there he was.
William Stark.
"Mr. Stark!" Anna gasped, startled, while Daniel scrambled to his feet. The chair screeched against the floor, the sharp sound slicing through the air like a blade.
William's gaze swept over the two of them, unreadable. "You both look way too surprised to see me. Were you just talking about me?"
Anna swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. A wave of nervous heat crept up her neck as her palms grew clammy.
Daniel, meanwhile, let out a forced chuckle, stepping back from Anna's bedside as though he'd been caught somewhere he wasn't supposed to be.
"Of course not! What would there even be to talk about?" he blurted, tugging at his jacket sleeves in a clear attempt to steady himself.
