Chapter 41 A Scheming Mother-in-law

• The apartment had changed. The once cozy space was filled with the comforting scent of cinnamon and old books, now reeked of expensive perfume and the sterile chill of money. Gina with manicured fingers tapping rhythmically against the sleek black countertop, surveyed her reflection in the mirrored surface of the newly installed vanity. The air thrummed with a tension she couldn't quite place. It was a feeling that had become all too familiar since she'd practically sold her daughter, Isabelle to the callous and calculating Liam Callahan, all to secure a future dripping in jewelry and designer handbags.
• The doorbell's chime, crisp and insistent, startled her. She glanced at the clock, a small silver watch perched on a marble pedestal, its face reflecting the unsettling gleam in her eyes. She straightened her silk blouse, smoothing the wrinkles with a practiced hand, and hurried toward the door.
• Damien stood on the other side. He smiled, a slight tilt of his lips that hinted at a hidden agenda, and his eyes, the color of stormy skies, held a dangerous glimmer.