All Chapters of IT STARTED WITH A LIE AND ENDED WITH US.: Chapter 81 - Chapter 84

At home, Bianca lay on the couch, eyes closed, her body finally surrendering to the exhaustion that had been chasing her for days. The soft glow of the table lamp cast warm shadows across the living room, illuminating the delicate curve of her jaw, the faint purple shadows beneath her eyes, the way her chest rose and fell in slow, measured breaths. She seemed to be trying to get some rest—truly trying—her fingers uncurled at her sides, her face relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever.The house was quiet. The kind of quiet that settled into the walls and whispered of peace. Somewhere in the distance, a clock ticked steadily, marking the passage of time like a heartbeat.Monica sat on the couch next to her, curled into the corner with her legs tucked beneath her, her phone glowing in her hands. She had been scrolling for the better part of an hour—catching up on emails, checking social media, idly thumbing through the news—when her finger froze mid-scroll.Her eyes widened

Mrs. Miller was descending the stairs slowly, each step deliberate, her silk robe trailing behind her like a whisper. The morning light streamed through the large bay windows, casting long golden rectangles across the marble floor. Her expression was unreadable—calm on the surface, but her eyes were sharp, assessing, already cataloging everything she saw.Mr. Miller, as usual, was focused on the paper in his hand, his reading glasses perched low on his nose. He sat in his favorite leather armchair, his left leg crossed over the right, completely absorbed in whatever financial report or business news had captured his attention. He didn't look up when his wife descended. He didn't look up when the front door opened. The world could have been ending outside, and he probably wouldn't have noticed until the smoke reached his study.Mrs. Miller was the first person to spot Justin and Bianca walking into the room. Her hand froze on the polished wooden banister. Her foot hovered mid-step. For