Chapter 5 - The Purge of Alpine
The eviction of Vanessa Cole was a quiet, brutal affair. Clara watched from the upper landing as two professional movers hired by Marcus cleared out the designer clothing, the luxury luggage, and the vanity sets from the guest wing.
Vanessa stood in the driveway, her blonde hair whipped by the morning wind, screaming obscenities at the security gates as they clicked shut behind her. The high-society illusion had completely vanished, leaving only the raw, ugly desperation of a exposed scammer.
When the dust settled, the mansion felt entirely different. The artificial silence was replaced by a light, echoing emptiness.
Clara walked down to the kitchen to prepare Lily's lunch—grilled cheese cut into perfect triangles, just the way she liked them. As she buttered the bread, she felt a presence behind her. Marcus was standing in the doorway, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, looking around the massive kitchen as if he had never truly seen it before.
"It's too big," he said abruptly.
Clara turned, surprised. "The kitchen, sir?"
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"The whole house," Marcus said, walking over to the island. "David and I used to talk about buying a place where we could actually hear each other speak. After the accident... I bought this fortress because I thought security meant safety. But it's just an expensive cage for Lily."
"Children don't need marble, Marcus," Clara said softly, using his first name with a quiet confidence that surprised them both. "They just need to know that if they call out in the dark, someone will answer."
