Catherine followed Maximilian out onto the deck, her steps slower, her thoughts still catching up with everything that had just unfolded. In the distance, she caught sight of a car turning sharply at the far end of the road.
Dorian.
The name settled heavily in her chest.
By the time she reached them, Maximilian had already turned his attention to Bernice's mother, questioning her with a calm that felt far more dangerous than anger. Nearby, Sebastian stood with the dismantled camera in his hands, examining it with sharp focus.
Catherine swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.
Her hands trembled before she could stop them, and she pressed one against her chest, trying to steady the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat. The cold metal wall behind her grounded her slightly as she leaned back against it, drawing in a slow, controlled breath.
Dorian had always been dangerous.
But this… this felt different.
More deliberate.
More personal.
