no connection to the silk wallpaper or the four-poster bed. A soft knock came a

utiques," Maria said, placing the clothes on the bed with a certa

Alison could tell by the fabric, but designed to be forg

making it clear she understood the pas

For now." She left, clo

ag on the floor and pulled out her real belonging

over its smooth, dark surface. It was a profes

a prize for winning an essay contest at her old school

e. It was a black, unbranded device with a m

en code. Her fingers flew across the screen as she connected to the house's Wi-Fi, bypassing the

was waiting for her. It was

ne. The asset is compro

asn't just a bizarre family drama. It was connected to he

ick reply, her

y of the beast. Maintain rad

her device, leaving no trace. She leaned back against the b

It wasn't just for sketching art

demeanor shifted. The lost, displaced girl from the Rust Belt vanishe

ng across the screen. She was mapping out the Pennington family's known associates, their corporate holdings, their dig

tartled her. It was a different knock

let's screen and called out

ney-blonde hair stood in the doorway. She was beautiful, dres

ar. "I'm Daphne. It's so, so crazy to finally m

er character assassinated. She saw the perfectly rehearsed smile, the calculating glint

e certainty, that the war