Chapter 13

• Charlotte stood in her atelier, the warm glow of the afternoon sun filtering through the windows and illuminating her workspace. Surrounded by sketches and vibrant gemstones, she felt a rare sense of focus as she carefully threaded delicate gold wires through intricately arranged pearls. Each movement brought her closer to the vision she had for the bespoke necklace, yet in the back of her mind, a sense of unease simmered.
• Just as she was adding the final touches, the shrill ring of her phone shattered the focused silence. The caller ID flashed an unknown number, but something in her gut twisted as she answered.
• “Hello?”