Chapter 234

• Vanessa's pov
• I stood by the tall glass windows of the mansion, the tropical heat of the Philippines pressing heavily against my skin despite the air-conditioning. My fingers clenched the remote control as I flipped through the television channels, the bright colors blurring into meaningless images until the breaking news banner caught my attention.
• “Carrington Empire announces Claire Carrington as rightful heir,” the headline screamed across the bottom of the screen. My breath stilled, my chest tightened, and before I realized what I was doing, the glass in my hand slipped, crashing to the floor.