Chapter 4: The House of Mirrors
Chapter 4: The House of Mirrors
The police intervention was a whirlwind of motion, uniforms, and shouting. Elena and Maya stood together near the fireplace, watching as the man—whose name the world knew as a philanthropist, but whom they knew as a predator—was led away in handcuffs. He didn't speak. He stared at the floor, his eyes void of the cunning that had defined him.
But the battle wasn't won in the foyer. The real war was in the media, and the man’s influence ran deep. By the following morning, the news outlets were still peddling conflicting stories. Some claimed Elena had been framed; others hinted at a "conspiracy involving high-profile actors."
Elena sat in the back of an ambulance, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Maya sat beside her, her head bandaged but her eyes sharp, focused on the laptop in her lap.
"They’re trying to bury it," Maya said, her fingers flying across the keys. "His partners, the board, the news editors he has on his payroll—they’re all working to discredit the upload."
May you like
Elena looked at her friend. "Why did you help me? You knew he was dangerous. You knew how much he had to lose."
Maya turned, a grim smile on her lips. "Because I was his first experiment, Elena. Years ago, he tried the same thing with me. I spent years in the shadows, waiting for someone to finally call his bluff. I didn't come to this gala to be a victim. I came to be the witness."
