The Knight estate sat on a stretch of land just outside Chicago, its grand stone façade softened by ivy that climbed the walls like memories refusing to fade. Though Dwayne had moved into the city years ago, the estate was still home to his mother, Vanessa Knight, and to the echoes of a life that had unraveled far too quickly.
The driver pulled up to the circular driveway, and Dwayne stepped out, his shoes crunching against the gravel. He had told himself this was just a routine visit, but his stomach was tight, his thoughts restless. It had been weeks since he'd seen his mother, and after Harold's poisonous whispers in the boardroom, he found himself craving something steady—something real.
