The drive home was quiet, the hum of the SUV's engine a soothing contrast to the chaotic roar of the Gala. I leaned my head against the cool glass, watching the London rain start to smear the streetlights into streaks of gold.

"You're very quiet," Mateo murmured, his hand finding mine in the dark.

"Just processing," I whispered. "Isabella Cortez... business owner... mother of twins. It's a lot to happen in one night."

"It's only the beginning," he promised.

When the car pulled up to the estate, the house was ablaze with light. I expected the quiet stillness of a late night, but as the front doors opened, music and...