HOUSE OF VALE PRESENTS
BOURBON
& BAD DECISIONS
One hotel. One stranger. One very bad decision.
START READING ↓ABOUT THE STORY
ONE NIGHT
CHANGES THE
ITINERARY.
At Chicago's Meridian Grand, a corporate conference becomes the backdrop for an encounter neither man planned for—and neither can quite leave behind.
This is a serialized House of Vale story. New chapters collect here as they are published, so this page always remains the beginning.
THE STORY
CHAPTERS.
Read from the beginning or return to the last door you opened.
Bourbon & Bad Decisions
One hotel. One stranger. One very bad decision.
Morning Light
Last night was the easy part.
Midnight Ascension
Declan leaves Denver with one bag and no idea when he’ll return. Aboard Matthias Crane’s private jet, ambition and desire collide as Zurich—and a dangerous new version of himself—wait on the other side.
The Ghost in the Machine
Declan steps into Vanguard Zurich ready to expose the cracks beneath its perfect facade. But when Elara Vance reveals a hidden war already underway, his audit becomes something far more dangerous—a hunt for a ghost inside the machine.
Chicago Wasn't Private
For one night in Zurich, Declan lets himself believe privacy is possible. By morning, someone inside Vanguard proves otherwise—turning a stolen glimpse of Chicago into a threat and forcing Declan and Matthias to bait the watcher hiding inside the system.
The Red Candle
A red candle. A compromised identity. A ghost who knows exactly where Declan feels safe. As the threat inside Vanguard turns physical, Declan and Matthias discover that some doors were never as secure as they believed.
Afterimage
Someone inside Vanguard can move Declan’s meetings, rewrite his files, and watch him from inside his own office. But Declan is finished reacting. If the ghost wants to watch, he’ll give it something to see—and turn himself from prey into bait.
Origin Audit
The trail leads Declan and Matthias back to Chicago, where a hidden network of lawyers, vendors, and permissions begins to emerge. But the closer they get to the truth, the clearer it becomes: someone is always one step ahead.
Service Window
At 2:17 a.m., the ghost finally becomes flesh. But catching someone inside Declan’s office only exposes a more dangerous truth: the breach isn’t hidden in the shadows. It’s authorized.
The Kill Switch
A board-approved service window turns into a lockdown, forcing Declan and Matthias underground. But the name behind the conspiracy changes everything—and the person waiting at the end of their escape may be the most dangerous revelation yet.
INSIDE THE MERIDIAN GRAND
THE HOTEL
KEEPS SECRETS.
Characters, settings, story notes, trailers, artwork, and other pieces of this world can collect here as the story grows.
BEYOND THE NEXT DOOR
THE STORY
GOES DEEPER.
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