Chapter 28 Games, Deceit, And Romance

• The slam of the door echoed through the opulent living room, a sound that reverberated with the force of Isabelle" 's anger. She had left her mother"'s lavish penthouse apartment in a whirlwind of fury, her heart pounding in protest against the cruel injustice of her situation. The gilded cage her mother had built around her, a cage she believed was gilded with love, was, in truth, forged from ambition and greed.
• Gina stood in the center of the room, her sleek black dress shimmering under the soft glow of the crystal chandelier. Her face, usually the picture of composure, held a flicker of disappointment. She surveyed the damage left behind by Isabelle" 's storm: a vase lying shattered on the Persian rug, a framed photograph of a younger, more innocent Gina lying on the floor, face down.
• The silence was broken by the insistent buzz of the doorbell. Gina glanced at the security monitor, her brow furrowing in surprise. A fleeting image flickered across the screen: a man wearing a dark hooded jacket, hiding his face in the shadows. It was an anonymous silhouette, a ghost in the night.