Nesse was sprawled out on her soft living room couch. The afternoon sun shone through the window, hitting a big painting of her from years ago. Back then, she was in her twenties, and life felt much simpler.She found herself staring at the painting, then at her own reflection in the glass. She traced the tiny lines around her eyes—little crow's feet that weren't there when the artist painted her."I'm almost forty now," she muttered, a frown on her face. The signs of age were starting to show. Then she saw it: a single, shiny gray hair on her chin, catching the sunlight. She leaned in to try and pull it out, a small, sad attempt to feel like her old self. Just then, her phone buzzed, and she nearly dropped it.It was her mom, Jules. Nesse saw the name flash on the screen and knew exactly what this call would be about."Nesse, darling, is it done?" Jules's voice was too bright, too cheerful, the moment Nesse answered. Nesse could practically hear the sigh of relief on the other end. "

Iron studied the faces of the people in the circle, some familiar and comforting, others almost forgotten, shadows from another life. The chamber’s silence pressed around them, broken only by the faint crackle of torches along the stone walls. Every eye rested on him, waiting.“I have missed this gathering,” Iron said at last. His voice carried both sorrow and strength, as if he spoke through years of silence and loss. The weight of his words lingered in the air, drawing a solemn stillness from the group. After a pause, he added with quiet resolve, “Thank you for waiting.”His gaze swept the circle, but when it fell on Athena, it sharpened like a blade. “What you did was reckless.”Athena did not flinch. Her eyes narrowed, her voice cold and defiant. “He deserved it.”“I know,” Iron replied, his tone cutting through the air, sharp enough to sting. “But your actions put the world’s eyes on us. We exist in secret for a reason.” His words rang heavy, a reminder of an oath none of them da

Across the hall, Nesse sat in the corner where the party noise faded. She held a half-filled glass of red wine, swirling it without drinking. Her grey eyes followed the movement, but her mind seemed far away. The chandelier light touched her pale face, yet she looked detached. She lifted the glass once, paused, and set it down without sipping. Her shoulders slouched, her posture heavy as if the evening weighed on her.Jules appeared suddenly, her heels clicking hard against the polished floor. Her face was tense, her lips pressed thin with irritation. Without a word, she grabbed Nesse’s arm and tugged it firmly.“Why are you sitting here?” Jules scolded in a sharp whisper, leaning down so no one else could overhear. “Shouldn’t you be looking for Vince?” Her dark eyes narrowed as she gave her daughter a look that was both questioning and accusing at once.Nesse let out a long, weary sigh, resisting the pull but not quite shaking her mother’s grip. “I’ve looked everywhere, Mum,” she re

Nesse drew in a shaky breath as she noticed the stares circling her.Some faces carried pity, others curiosity, but beneath them all lay suspicion. She straightened, forcing her voice steady.“Please, lead the way,” she told the detective, giving her mother a quick nod.Jules pressed her lips together to hold back a sob. She understood her daughter’s signal well enough. Nesse wasn’t guilty. Stubborn? Yes. Defiant? Absolutely. But not a killer. The problem was the timing—her sudden disappearance, Vince’s death minutes later, and their very public feud. It painted an ugly picture.Nesse followed the detective, keeping her head high, heels striking against the marble floor. She refused to look broken, not when she knew the truth. Jules watched her daughter walk away, her heart heavy.Outside, the heavy air inside the mansion gave way to the evening breeze. Nesse barely had time to inhale before flashing lights blinded her. Paparazzi swarmed the steps, microphones shoving forward, questio