Serena’s POV
The midnight deadline pressed against my spine like a blade, but fear had burned away hours ago. All that remained was cold, calculated resolve. I moved through the pack house like a ghost in my own home, heading for the study. I needed the last of my private files before I disappeared for good.
The guards were conveniently distracted by a manufactured “disturbance” at the border. Someone’s clever misdirection. I didn’t care whose.
As I rounded the corner into the master corridor, I froze. The door to the master suite stood wide open. Servants hurried in and out like ants, carrying armfuls of silk gowns, designer heels, and ornate vanity cases containing Liliana’s things. They were already erasing me.
“Careful with those!” a maid called, flushed with excitement. “The new L
