Night arrived slowly over the estate.
The last of the daylight faded behind the forested hills, and with it the illusion of calm that the afternoon had briefly offered. By the time darkness settled across the property, the mansion had transformed into something very different from the elegant residence it once appeared to be.
Floodlights illuminated the courtyard and outer walls.
Guards stood watch along the reinforced gate and perimeter fences.
Security cameras had been repositioned to cover the areas damaged during the siege.
From the outside, the estate now looked less like a home and more like a fortress preparing for war.
Vanessa walked through the main hallway with a quiet, steady pace. The floors had been partially cleaned since the previous night, but faint traces of the battle remained. Small cracks ran along sections of the walls, and one of the marble statues near the staircase had been moved aside after being shattered by gunfire.
