The drive home was quieter than any of them expected. Maybe it was the adrenaline slowly wearing off, or the emotional toll the night had taken, but the car was mostly filled with soft breathing and the occasional rustle of clothes as they shifted in their seats.
Ruby leaned against Stefan's shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed for a few minutes, while Rayna scrolled through her phone in the passenger seat, updating Ethan on the online reactions to the livestream.
"Over a hundred thousand views already," she whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief. "And the comments? Everyone's ripping Ivy apart."
"Good," Ethan said simply, his jaw still tight. "She deserves every word."
When they reached Stefan's house, the security gate opened without delay. As the SUV pulled up the driveway, the glowing porch light bathed the house in a calm, welcoming warmth that felt almost surreal after the chaos they'd just left.
