The weight of it all threatened to crush Isabelle. Her parents' complicity, Julian's deceit, the sheer scope of the Van Derlyn corruption… it was a suffocating blanket woven from lies and self-preservation. Chloe, bless her heart, offered comfort and unwavering support, but even her practical advice couldn't penetrate the feeling of profound isolation that had settled within Isabelle. She was adrift in a sea of secrets, surrounded by sharks circling for weakness.