IMOGEN'S POV
The car hummed beneath me as the city blurred past the window. Portland. It had been years, yet the skyline looked the same. The streets still carried the weight of old money and whispered scandals. And today, I was going to be one of them.
My personal assistant sat beside Joseph in the back, scrolling through notes. "We need to finalize the budget for your burned down house. The renovations will take a few weeks, but we can move in by the end of the month. Also, groceries, decor, and new security measures—"
I barely heard her. My eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, catching Joseph's small reflection. His little hands gripped the edges of his schoolbag, excitement bright in his eyes.
A sharp pang twisted inside me. This was his first day of school, and it should have been a normal moment. A milestone. Instead, I was using it as a spectacle. A calculated move to reintroduce myself to a society that buried me alive in fire.
