room fell d

early thought the word Deepfa

of the photos off the rug. He squinted at it. "The li

rver," Daryn said, his voice cold and clinical. "

e armrests. He looked at Alice, his eyes filled with a heavy,

She walked slowly to the coffee table

inst the image of the gir

one completely flat. "The fingers are smoot

finger. He saw the manicured nails. He

y raised her right hand to th

f. She rolled the sleeve up past her elbow.

of the floor lamp,

, purple whip marks. Her wrist bone protruded at an unnatural angle from an o

om became absolute. T

lips trembled violently. A choked,

. He stared at the mangled flesh, his eyes wide wi

let out a roar of anguish and slammed his fist into the wooden load-bearing pil

rm up, standing

ils long," she said quietly. "It made

t the edge of the rug. A tidal wave of

heelchair. His hands reached out, shaking violently, w

e old man's trembling fingers gently stroke a small, unscarre

His voice was hoarse, raw with fury. "Trace the IP addre

vy cashmere coat from the sofa and draped it over Alice'

ess corporate emperor walked over

"I let my prejudice blind me. I w

l handle my own revenge. I

tered the last of

hick, slightly crumpled paper envelope. He pressed it

stack of crisp hundred-dollar bi

ing at Byron. Weren't they

year-end bonus from the property management company. And I chipped in

with a desperate earnestness. "Yes. I

sheer amount of disposable cash they handed over without a second thought. They were hiding something massive. Yet, as she looked at their anxious, hopeful faces, she recognized the raw, unfiltered protective instinct underneath the deception. They weren't trying to harm