Chapter 60: Mary

A sharp cackle echoes through the high ceilings of my living room. I lean back against the pristine white silk cushions of my sofa, a crystal flute of mineral water resting loosely between my fingers. On the wall-mounted television screen opposite me, the midday lifestyle and local news block is just finishing its commercial break.

My chest feels lighter than it has in months. The faint, throbbing pain in my right thumb where the cracked glass of my old phone sliced my skin yesterday morning is a welcome reminder of the price of victory. The ruined device is gone, replaced by a brand-new, top-tier model resting flat...