*Aaron’s POV*It was needed, and I had no remorse using all the influence my father left in the safe in order to get what I wanted. I called upon the most important names on his list and it took them less than 12 hours to coordinate and make it to our meeting spot.It was impressive. The room reeked of old money and older secrets, the dark mahogany panels swallowing light and whispers alike. Shadows clung to corners where power was brokered silently, fiercely. Was this what my father was used to? How far did he planned to keep me in the dark about the shady dealings he made for a living?I stood at the head of the long table, heart pounding like a drumbeat in my chest, my father's steely gaze fixed on me from the other end."Violet Flanagan is not just a thorn," I began, my voice steady despite the tempest brewing inside, "she's a goddamn poison ivy wrapping around us all."Murmurs rippled across the room, the heads of elite families that made it shifting in their leather chairs

*Roanne's POV*The dim glow of the computer screen was the only light in the room, casting shadows across Caleb's concentrated face. My heart was beating fast and hard against my ribs as I watched him, his fingers dancing over the keyboard. He was an expert, knew what to look for and how to find it."Got it," he growled, and the satisfaction in his voice was exciting. He turned to me, eyes glinting with triumph. "They had you bugged six ways to Sunday, Roanne. But don't worry, I've just neutered their spyware."His hands moved over my phone and laptop with a deftness that was invasive but needed, deleting lines of code that had lurked unseen, monitoring my every move. With each keystroke, I felt a piece of myself being returned to me, mixed with an unsettling vulnerability. How much of my soul had they peered into?Violet managed to get deep into our lives in ways I never thought possible. If it weren't because Caleb asked if he could check the room we were at to catch bugs that wo

*Roanne's POV*I sat on the edge of Lizzie's futon, knees to my chest, the fabric scratching against my bare skin. The air in the apartment was thick with tension and the remnants of fear, a stench that clung to us, unwelcome but impossible to shake.“Aaron, I am so happy to hear your voice. Is Blake ok?”I heard a grunt of pain, followed by Blake's voice. “I am sort of, ok.”I felt the relief of hearing him safe, it meant all went well. “Blake! You are well! I am so happy to hear that!” A shuddering breath escaped me, relief washing over in waves. I relayed the news to Lizzie and Anne Marie, their faces showed the same relief I felt."Thank God," Lizzie whispered, sinking into the couch, her nervousness evident as she scooped another mouthful of ice cream, the spoon clinking against the bowl."Roanne," Aaron's voice crackled through my phone, it was distant yet brimming with urgency. "Lock yourself in the house, Violet escaped, and now Sebastian is heading your way,”My pulse h

*Violet’s POV*The walls of my empire, once unassailable, were crumbling like a sandcastle at high tide. The realization was a cold blade twisting in my gut, and with it came the bitter taste of desperation. My corrupted networks, a web I had spun with such precision, now ensnared me in their collapse."Everything's falling apart," I muttered to myself, pacing the dimly lit room where I'd holed up. The shadows seemed to mock my predicament, whispering of betrayal and downfall.I tugged at my hair, once a mane to be flaunted, now a tangled mess reflecting my inner turmoil. My mind raced, thoughts sharp as shattered glass. There had to be a way out – one final card to play in this high-stakes game. And then it struck me, a plan as dark as the circles under my eyes. Roanne Mailen."Sweet, naive Roanne," I whispered, a serpent's hiss escaping through my clenched teeth. My lips curled into a smile devoid of warmth. She was the key, my bargaining chip, the ace up my sleeve. If I could ta

*Roanne’s POV*The trial was over, yet the fizzling remnants of Sebastian's presence haunted me. His shadow loomed in every corner of my life, and though I felt safe and protected, I could still sense there was never going to be complete peace in my life until he was found.Then, as if fate had finally given me a gift, the call came. Aaron’s words from the other end were a like a victory song: "Sebastian was apprehended—false papers." My pulse quickened, adrenaline flooding my veins.I asked Aaron to take me to the secure station where he was held. He agreed to it and an hour later we were heading there, he drove with confidence, but there was also something behind his eyes, satisfaction.The room was sterile, cold—like his gaze. He sat cuffed, a fallen and desperate man grasping at straws. Our eyes locked, and the world fell away, leaving only the intensity of this final encounter."Roanne, you bitch!" Sebastian lunged, his voice filled with anger and rage. "You've ruined me!"