The night had settled deep over the Falconer Estate, the kind of midnight that pressed heavy against the walls and pathways, swallowing sound into silence. The moonlight spilled faintly across the stone, pale and cold, painting shadows that stretched long and sharp.
Stella stood in the corner of the pathway, her posture composed, her gaze steady. Beside her, her confidant lingered, cloaked in the same silence, their eyes fixed on the road beyond the gates. Together, they watched.
The hum of an engine broke the stillness. Kurt’s car rolled forward, headlights cutting through the dark, sweeping across the gravel as he drove away from the Estate. His figure was faint behind the glass, his movements slow, deliberate, tired.
Her confidant leaned closer, their voice low, cautious, carry
