The penthouse basked in rare Sunday sunlight, shafts piercing the clouds to gild the marble counters and velvet drapes, a deceptive warmth against the chill of recent tempests.
Eleanor moved through the space with mechanical routine, brewing coffee in the Italian machine.
Victor's coma dominated the feeds. headlines speculating on Voss succession, Vivian's poised statements to reporters outside the hospital.
Julian's board vote loomed tomorrow, a guillotine she could dull or sharpen. Her resolve from yesterday held, tempered by an unexpected mercy.
She texted Laurent that morning to hold the full annulment filings, draft a neutral statement of family support instead. No grand alliance, just a lifeline tossed to a drowning man, for the sake of civility in their shared wreckage.
The el
