Chapter 259 Tessa

• The morning did not bring the usual silence of the estate. Instead, there was a frantic energy in the way the smart-home systems hummed. Tessa found Roy in the study, surrounded by a dozen floating holographic screens. His face was a mask of cold professionalism, but the way his fingers drummed against the mahogany desk betrayed a glitch in his composure.
• "The silence has broken," Roy said without looking up. "The city is starting to bleed through the perimeter."
• Tessa walked over, her eyes scanning the headlines on the nearest screen. *Wedding Planner Vanishes: Sterling-Vane Nuptials in Jeopardy.* Below it, a grainy photo of Elena Thorne looking hysterical outside the boutique.