Page 61 of A Sinful Gravity

"Colleagues report that for a period she often slept with her child on the floor of the Royal Ballet break room, unable to afford nearby housing. Distant apartments made childcare too difficult."

"Financial situation improved after becoming a soloist. After making principal, invitations flooded in. Currently invited to Washington for a tour."

Below were photos and details. I stared at that tiny figure on stage, nausea rising in my gut.

My hand shook around the phone.

Sleeping on floors. Raising a child while training. Starting from zero, clawing her way to principal.

What had I been doing?

Drinking. Sitting in my office in a daze. Sitting in rooms she'd once lived in, pretending she was still there.

I'd known nothing.

I'd thought she'd disappeared, changed her name, hidden where I couldn't find her. I'd even assumed she was doing fine. I'd thought—

I didn't know a goddamn thing.

Another section appeared on screen:

"Regarding Sebastian Loran:

Mr. Loran is also a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, partnering Crawford for three years. They have co-starred in classic productions, including The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, to critical acclaim. Company insiders report he has been extremely supportive of Luna and her daughter, and the two are close, though a romantic relationship cannot be confirmed."

"Mr. Loran has mentioned Luna in multiple interviews as his 'most instinctive partner,' and shares rehearsal photos of them on social media. Rumors suggest cohabitation, but this remains unverified."

The man she called Seb.

He'd held Laila so naturally. My fist crashed into the armrest with a dull thud. I stared at those lines on screen, a boulder crushing my chest.

The earlier report said Luna had started performing with a child three years ago, which meant Laila could possibly...

I couldn't finish the thought. Wouldn't let myself believe it.

The anger lasted only minutes, then gave way to deeper guilt.

When she'd been at her most desperate and helpless, I hadn't been there.

Seb had.

The man I hated, yet had to acknowledge.

And it was because of me that she'd had those desperate times at all.

I set the phone down and covered my face with my hands.

I don't know how long had passed before the phone rang again. My secretary with today's schedule—nine a.m. board meeting, eleven a.m. client lunch, two-thirty p.m. finance meeting.

I checked the time. Eight-thirty.

I typed back, "Cancel everything today."

He called immediately. "Mr. King, this morning, there's a—"

"I said cancel it all." My voice was flat. "Contact me if there's an emergency."

Today I didn't want to do anything.