Julian Vance’s thirtieth birthday party was less a celebration of life and more a monument to his ego.

He had rented a sprawling, modern glass mansion in the Hollywood Hills, overlooking the glittering expanse of Los Angeles. The driveway was choked with Ferraris, McLarens, and a fleet of black SU

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of the master bedroom, casting long, peaceful shadows across the hardwood floor.

Clara stood at the foot of the massive king-sized bed, methodically folding a stack of Julian’s expensive cashmere sweaters. An open, leather weekender bag sat on th

The digital waveform on Clara Vance’s monitor spiked and dipped in a steady, hypnotic rhythm. Outside her darkened home office, the California night was perfectly still, but in her headphones, the howling winds of the Colorado Rockies roared through the encrypted audio feed.

Clara took a slow sip