off, his steps firm as he headed to meet Nichole.
As he walked away, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Erica. "Sorry, Erica, I have to be somewhere right now. Bianca is dead. She was found in her apartment, and my presence is needed."
Almost immediately, a reply flashed on the screen. "What? How? And why are you leaving so suddenly? I need to go to the Stridha Estate, so what's going on, Max?"
Max took a deep breath and texted back, trying to keep his focus despite the storm brewing inside him. "She committed suicide. My name was mentioned in the letter, and the police have summoned me for questioning."
He pressed send and locked the phone, his mind racing with more questions than answers. Bianca...dead. How did it come to this? There was no time to waste—he had to face whatever came next.
