The family group chat quietly emptied — an aunt first, then two cousins, then everyone with money tied to the estate, until Leticia sat staring at a chat with no one left in it.

For years she had confused obedience with respect, money with loyalty, and fear with authority, and when the perks dried up she found that the people who’d defended her cruelty were only ever defending what they could squeeze out of her.

Rafaela poured herself back into her work.

Some months later, Crestmont opened a new resort on a lake in those same hills, and as the evening ended a brief summer rain began to fall over the water.

An assistant hurried over with an umbrella.

Rafaela paused a moment, watching the rain hit the lake, and she remembered the dark highway, her frozen hands, the tail lights pulling away.