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….

Act I The slap sounded like thunder in a room built for whispers. Professor Adrian Whitmore staggered backward, one hand reaching for the wooden cane that was no longer steady beneath him. The…

Act I The slap sounded louder than the chandelier above them. It cracked through the marble lobby, sharp and impossible to ignore, and every conversation died at once. A woman near the lounge…

Act I The mechanic hit the tires before he hit the floor. Four black performance tires rattled violently in the foreground, rubber thudding against rubber as the man in stained blue overalls stumbled…

Act I The slap cut through the gala before the chandeliers stopped swaying in the night breeze. Rosa stumbled backward, one hand flying to her cheek, her small bag slipping from her fingers…

Act I The boy in the gray suit looked too polished to be sitting on the sidewalk. His knees were pulled to his chest beneath a tailored jacket. A white collar peeked above…

Act I The golf cart hit the old man before the fairway had time to go silent. One moment, Mr. Whitmore was kneeling beside a damaged patch of turf, one gloved hand steadying…