Chapter 60 The Name Rings The Bell

The late afternoon sunlight filtered softly through the tall windows of the Parker estate, casting golden stripes across the dark oak flooring of Benjamin Parker’s study. The room smelled faintly of leather and old books, the comforting scent of routine and control. Benjamin sat behind his desk, going over a pile of quarterly reports when the sharp, stilettoed heels of his wife echoed in the hallway. “Ben,” Stella’s voice carried that sharp, sugary note she always used when preparing to distract him from work. “Sadie and I were just talking about Sophia.”