The Heavenly Demon of Terror

Roselle's POV

After that little performance, I stepped out of the lounge, the echo of my heels tapping against the marble floor like a ticking clock counting down Abigail's final moments of dignity.

Kaisel waited by the car, silent as always, but his eyes flicked toward me with that unreadable look. Respect? Amusement? Maybe both.

"She didn't say a word?" he asked as he opened the door.

I slid into the backseat, my lips curling into a satisfied smile. "What could she possibly say, Kaisel? Truths burn louder than any scream."

The car pulled off into the night, the city lights dancing against the tinted windows. I took another sip of my whiskey from the crystal glass I kept in the car's mini-bar.

"You think she'll fall for the bait?" Kaisel asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"She already has," I replied coolly. "Abigail Bardot is spiraling. After Samuel faked his death, she needed something to latch onto. She grabbed the first snake she could find—Joshua Leinin. What a poetic match: a woman with no loyalty, and a man with no spine."

Kaisel chuckled under his breath. "You really think Joanna will go through with our little deal?"

"Everyone has a price, Kaisel." I stared out at the skyline, my voice sharp. "And in Joanna's case, it wasn't just money—it was finally seeing her brother humiliated. I gave her a stage. Now I want to see the whole act."

There was a moment of silence as we drove. Then Kaisel asked the one thing I had been waiting for.