Chapter 21 Ties That Burn

• The scent of fire lingered in Emma's hair, acrid and sharp, a reminder that the nightmare wasn’t over—it was evolving.
• They stood outside Maxwell's flaming estate, their breaths visible in the cold night, chests heaving, hearts pounding. The distant howl of sirens grew louder, but Maxwell’s absence screamed louder than anything else. He had vanished.
• Lucas scanned the treeline, jaw clenched. "He planned this. He wanted us to find that room. To find those documents."