The gates of the Carson estate closed behind Pearl with a quiet finality that felt far louder than it should have. The night stretched wide and still, the mansion ahead glowing with deliberate elegance, every window lit just enough to suggest warmth without ever truly offering it.

The moment Pearl stepped inside, the familiar stillness wrapped around her like a well-tailored illusion. The marble floors gleamed, untouched. The air was cool, faintly scented with polished wood and distant florals. Staff moved like shadows, quiet, efficient, and present without being seen.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked, each step measured, controlled, as though she were placing herself back...