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The silence in the room stretched thin, like a wire pulled to its breaking point. / Chapter 10 / 30

Chapter 10 - The Quiet After the StormSix months later, the rain had finally stopped, and the spring flowers were blooming across the expansive gardens of the Bel Air estate.

I stood on the stone patio, holding a cup of hot herbal tea, breathing in the scent of rosemary and damp earth. The estate was peaceful, restored to its original elegance without the toxic energy of the Thorne family poisoning every room.

My phone vibrated softly on the patio table.

It was a notification from a local news digest.

DISGRACED FORMER FINANCIER JULIAN THORNE SPOTTED WORKING AS A PARKING ATTENDANT IN DOWNTOWN LA.

Beneath the headline was a blurry paparazzi photo of Julian in a fluorescent yellow vest, handing a parking ticket to a driver in a rusted sedan. He looked older, broken by the weight of a world he thought he could conquer with arrogance and a crumpled one-dollar bill.

I didn't feel anger. I didn't feel pity.

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The heavy mahogany door of the dressing room seemed to close in on us, trapping the suffocating tension inside. Richard’s hands were shaking as he clutched the small, tarnished silver pendant. His knuckles were bone-white.

The heavy mahogany door of the dressing room seemed to close in on us, t...

The heavy silver fork slipped from my fingers, clattering sharply against the gold-rimmed porcelain of my dinner plate.

The heavy silver fork slipped from my fingers, clattering sharply agains...

The heavy mahogany door of the Fairmont Copley suite clicked shut with a muffled, expensive thud.

The heavy mahogany door of the Fairmont Copley suite clicked shut with a...

I simply locked my phone, set it back down on the table, and watched the sunlight catch the dew on the freshly trimmed garden hedges.

The dinner party was long over. The bill had been paid in full, with interest.

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