Chapter 12

The standing ovation felt like a physical wave of heat crashing over the runway.

Serena Vance stood at the edge of the polished obsidian stage, the blinding spotlights washing over her ivory suit. For five years, she had watched this exact moment from the claustrophobic shadows of the

Chapter 13

The sky over the city broke open just after midnight, unleashing a torrential downpour that turned the towering glass skyscrapers of the financial district into shimmering, distorted monoliths.

Serena stood in the private lobby of Cross Industries, wrapping a cashmere trench coat aroun

Chapter 14

The morning sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Cross Industries executive penthouse, painting the minimalist white marble floors in brilliant swaths of gold.

Serena stood by the massive glass panes, a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea in her hands, looking out over the