The car that had been trailing them disappeared the moment Gabriel’s vehicle slowed at the familiar gates of the mansion. Still, he did not relax. His hand stayed firmly on the armrest, his eyes fixed on the side mirror for a few seconds longer than necessary, as though expecting the same presence to reappear from thin air.
Isabella noticed it.
She did not ask questions, not because she was not curious, but because something about the way Gabriel sat so still, so alert, made her feel like even silence could be dangerous.
The gate slid open.
The car rolled in.
The moment the tires touched the driveway, the house came into view, standing tall and quiet under the late evening light. It looked peaceful from the outside, too peaceful for everything that had happened in the last twenty four
