Chapter 22: Breaking Point
The storm had passed, but the echoes remained.
Melisa stood on the terrace of her estate, the early morning breeze brushing her cheeks like cold fingers. Below, the garden was freshly watered from last night's rain, but the air felt heavy. Unsettled. As if the world itself held its breath for what was to come.
Lena was recovering in the guest wing, surrounded by two private nurses and a round-the-clock security team. Melisa had personally instructed the head guard to treat Lena like a VIP, no excuses.
She had been up all night.
Her mind refused rest. Even now, she replayed the audio logs over and over in her head—Lily's sneering threats, Jenny's trembling voice, the cruel clarity of manipulation. The betrayal still stung, but deeper than the pain was something colder, sharper:
Resolve.
"I can't play defense anymore," Melisa whispered to herself.
A quiet knock disrupted her thoughts.
