Chapter 374

Ryan's POV I could feel something was catastrophically wrong the second Simon walked into my office. His face carried that particular shade of dread reserved for delivering news that would shatter my day—or my world. "Mr. Blackwood," Simon said, his voice stretched thin with urgency, "we've located Claire's apartment. She's the former Elegant Realm employee who stole those design sketches. This morning she..." He swallowed hard, clearly dreading my reaction. "She physically attacked Mrs. Lancaster at the studio." The world tilted off its axis. Serena. My heart didn't just stop—it felt like someone had reached into my chest and crushed it. I shot to my feet so violently that my chair crashed backward. "What did you just say?" "Mrs. Lancaster wasn't injured. Security intervened quickly, and Claire was arrested," Simon continued, but I could barely process his words through the red haze clouding my vision. "But there's more, sir. Claire publicly confessed to starting the fire at Fashion W