The dining room of the penthouse was bathed in the warm, golden glow of a crystal chandelier. The mahogany table was set for twelve, adorned with fine china, polished silverware, and tall, white taper candles.

It was the perfect stage for a perfect lie.

Clara stood by the floor-to-ce

The morning sun crept over the Manhattan skyline, casting long, sharp shadows across the penthouse bedroom. It was 6:00 AM.

Julian’s flight to Dubai departed out of JFK at 9:30 AM.

Clara stood by the foot of the massive king-sized bed, surrounded by the open jaws of two expensive, ha

The glass doors of Vance Architecture slid open with a soft, electronic whisper.

Clara Vance stepped onto the polished concrete floor of the firm she had built from the ground up, though her name was nowhere on the frosted glass walls. For five years, she had walked through these doors