Chapter Twenty-Three
* The Unwelcome Guests*
The Lax family townhouse loomed before them, a monument of old stone and severe windows. Leonor Louis fidgeted with his tie in the back of the car. "Remember, Naomi, we are here as guests. Be gracious. This is a great opportunity for Lyra."
Naomi stared out the window, her face a pale mask of bitter jealousy. "Opportunity? They are laughing at us. We are being summoned like servants to a palace we built for them. My own daughter... in that house." Her nails dug into her purse. She had no choice but to come; the social pressure was a cage.
They were shown into a formal sitting room, not the grand salon. It was a deliberate choice, a room for business, not celebration. They waited.
The air was cold and silent.
Then, the door opened.
Aurora
