Chapter 3 - The Serpent in the Garden

The next morning, the sun hit the kitchen with a deceptive brightness. Paige was there, wearing a silk robe that looked like it belonged on a runway, pouring coffee with an air of ownership that made my blood boil.

"Damon?" She looked at me, feigning shock. "Your flight... you’re back already?"

I poured myself a cup of black coffee and leaned against the counter. "The flight was delayed. I decided to come home."

"Oh, thank goodness," she chirped, moving toward me to touch my arm. I stepped back, and the movement was so sharp she hesitated. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is clear," I said, watching her face. "I was thinking about our conversation from last week. About the house. About how things need to change."

Her eyes lit up—a flash of greed she couldn't quite mask. "I just want what's best for us, darling. For this family. That housekeeper, Nora... she’s still here. I thought you promised to take care of that."

"I did," I said. "I’ve been thinking about what she steals."

"It’s not just the jewelry, Damon. It’s the influence. She talks to Bria about Maren constantly. It’s unhealthy. It keeps the child stuck in the past. We need a fresh start."

"A fresh start," I repeated. "Without any reminders of the past?"

"Exactly."

I walked over to the kitchen counter and placed a small, thin file on the granite. It contained the printouts of bank transfers—money she had been siphoning from the "Bria Memorial Fund" into a private account in the Cayman Islands.

"You’re right, Paige," I said, my voice ice-cold. "Everything in this house needs a fresh start. And I’m starting with you."

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Her face went pale. The facade of the loving girlfriend shattered, revealing the desperate, hollow woman beneath. "You wouldn't. You’re under a lot of stress. You don't know what you're doing."

"I know exactly who I’m looking at," I said. "And you have one hour to pack whatever you can carry. If you aren't gone by noon, I won't be the one coming to collect you. And you know how my 'collectors' work."