Chapter 83. There’s Something Deeper

Travis leaned against the cool marble of the foyer’s column, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed the cluster of women huddled by the grand staircase. Their voices were a symphony of hushed tones and clucking tongues, each note laced with scandal and pity.

“Did you hear about Camila Martinez?” one of the women said in a faux whisper that was meant to carry. “Her father has completely turned his back on her. Told everyone at the club not to engage in business with her.”

“Indeed,” the first woman said, her tone shifting to one of nostalgia. “Remember how Maddox used to be the life of every soiree? Those grand balls after Camila’s mother... Oh, they were something else!”

“Absolutely,” the second woman chimed in, her eyes lighting up at the memory. “The entire room would sparkle with chandeliers and laughter, the air perfumed with roses and excitement.”

“Camila was always the star, even as a young girl,” the first woman continued, a wistful smile on her