The digital clock on the master suite nightstand flipped to 3:14 AM before the silence of the penthouse finally broke.
It wasn't a sudden explosion or a dramatic alarm, but rather the heavy, unmistakable mechanical thud of the private elevator locking into place at the end of the hall. Chloe shot upright on the king-sized bed, her heart instantly thumping against her ribs. The heavy down pillow she had been clutching fell to her side as she scrambled off the mattress, her bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floor. She hurried out of the bedroom, her green knit dress whispering against her thighs in the dark corridor. As she reached the threshold of the grand living pavilion, the elevator doors slid open.
The air in the room changed instantly. The pristine, clean scent of marble and expen
