Adrian Vale entered his father’s penthouse while Mara Ellis was on her knees wiping blood and tea from the marble floor.
/
Chapter 4 / 5
PART 5 — The Awakening
Three days later, sunlight returned to the penthouse.
The curtains were open.
The air smelled like coffee again.
Real coffee.
Harold Vale sat upright in bed, weaker than before—but present.
Aware.
Adrian stood beside him.
“You’re late,” Harold muttered.
Adrian almost smiled.
“I had to clean something up first.”
Harold’s eyes shifted toward the doorway.
Mara stood there, hesitant.
“Come in,” Adrian said.
She stepped forward slowly.
Harold studied her.
“You stayed?”
She nodded.
“I did my job.”
May you like
Harold’s voice softened.
“No,” he said. “You did more than that.”
