Chapter 47

The sun barely peeked through the drawn curtains when Erica awoke. She had tossed and turned most of the night, haunted by her own racing thoughts. She glanced toward the couch where Julian was still asleep, his arm draped lazily over the edge, the faint rise and fall of his chest indicating the slow rhythm of deep sleep.

The tension from the previous night was still thick in the air. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, the weight of unsaid words and things left unresolved. Erica pulled herself up from the bed, careful not to make too much noise. She needed a moment to clear her head, to refocus on why they were here. She couldn’t afford to be distracted, especially not now when everything was about to come to a head.

Her father’s list, the documents that had been left behind—they were more than just a key to unlocking the truth about Ophelia’s schemes. They were a direct connection to everything her father had tried to shield her from. And now, they were becoming a weapon sh