The estate did not make me that woman.

It never had.

But it was the place where I no longer had to pretend to be anyone else, and after two years of pretending, walking back into it felt less like arriving somewhere grand than like finally exhaling.

Chapter 8 — The Leash

Chidera Calderwood, my chief financial officer, fell into step beside me, scrolling.

“Blackthorn BioTech is running on a knife-edge.