Riley had no sense of how long she had slipped in and out of consciousness. When she finally came to, she realized she was back at Jackson's Villa.
For a moment, her mind was clouded, until the harrowing memories of her mother's death swept over her, leaving tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Not a single sob escaped her lips.
Just then, Michael entered the room. He took in her grief-stricken face with a frown, as if this was a side of her he had never encountered before.
After what felt like an eternity, he spoke, his tone detached. "I've planned an elaborate funeral for your mother. This time, Chloe overstepped her bounds. She went too far on her own."
Riley looked at Michael and let out a dry, rasping laugh pulled from deep within. "So you'll still stand by her, won't you?"
