Melissa sat frozen in her seat as Alec pulled the sleek, black Lamborghini into the narrow lane of her old neighborhood. The polished surface of the car shimmered beneath the winter sun, drawing every pair of eyes in the vicinity. Children stopped playing. Old men basking in the warmth of the day paused mid-conversation, their necks craning toward the low, purring beast that had just glided to a halt in front of the Kane residence. The murmurs began immediately. The car was unmistakable—one of only three in the world, a limited edition that screamed wealth, power, and danger.
She blinked, stunned, as her eyes fell on the familiar facade of her childhood home. The modest structure with its pale blue walls and flowering creepers felt like another lifetime, another Melissa.
“Step out,” Alec
