Chapter 73

Clara’s POV

I strolled out of Julian’s office as if nothing had happened, my steps measured and my expression calm. Inside, the tension had been thick—words like knives—but I carried no trace of it on my face. As I climbed into the taxi waiting curbside, I couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Lyra would be replaying our conversation over and over in her mind until she finally found the answer she was looking for. How could she not see that Alistair’s family was tangled up with her parents’ past? Such a dumbass bitch, I thought, letting the thought drift through my mind like smoke.

No sooner had I buckled my seatbelt than my phone vibrated in my hand. Julian. I unlocked the screen and read: “Meet me at my hideout now.” I rolled my eyes, tapped out my location for the driver, and settled back. The thrill of the game warmed me from the inside—this was just the opening move, and Lyra would soon wish she’d never crossed my path.

The ride took thirty-five minutes, wi