Act I The medal hit the stone before anyone understood what it was. A small scratched piece of metal on a faded ribbon slipped from the old man’s pocket, clattered once against the…

Act I The red wine hit Grace first. It splashed across her white apron, dark and sudden, running down the black server dress she had borrowed only two hours earlier. The crystal glass…

Act I The slap echoed down the private hospital wing like a code alarm. Dr. Emily Ross stumbled sideways into the medication cart, one hand catching the edge too late. The silver tray…

Act I The gold paddle hit the showroom floor first. It clattered across the glossy white tile, spinning once beneath the sharp spotlight before stopping near the wheel of a black Lamborghini displayed…

Act I The towel hit the wet stone before Madam Clara could catch it. It landed beside the heated pool, white against white, sinking into a small puddle under the golden spa lights….

Act I The backpack hit the stone floor before anyone understood what had happened. It burst open beside the white leather chairs, spilling a notebook, a phone charger, and a tiny aviation keychain…

Act I The slap cracked across the ballroom before the champagne stopped moving. Mr. Whitmore staggered backward in his gray janitor uniform, one hand reaching for the mop he had been using near…

Act I The punch landed in the center of the showroom, where everything was designed to reflect. The mechanic stumbled backward across the raised glass platform, his shoes skidding over the transparent panels….

Act I The roses fell before Adrian said a word. They hit the patio with a soft, terrible sound, the white ribbon loosening around the stems as red petals scattered across the stone….