The tension in the room was palpable as Silas's words hung in the air. Lyra kept her face carefully neutral, watching the confused expressions ripple through her former classmates.
"What do you mean?" Isabelle demanded, her perfectly manicured nails digging into her champagne flute.
Silas opened his mouth, then caught Lyra's warning glance. He hesitated, suddenly understanding the magnitude of what he'd almost revealed.
"I mean," he recovered smoothly, "that brilliance isn't always packaged the way you expect it to be."
Isabelle narrowed her eyes. "Stop being cryptic, Silas. Are you saying one of us here is connected to Dr. Payne?"
Before Silas could respond, the reunion hall doors swung open. Jasper Covington entered with Orla Moreau on his arm. Orla wore a designer gown that hugged her curves, her hair styled in elaborate waves. Beside her, Jasper looked every inch the Covington heir in his tailored suit.
