Julian Thorne stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his penthouse office, staring blindly at the sprawling Manhattan skyline. His knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of his mahogany desk. On the massive flat-screen television mounted to the wall, a news anchor was breathlessly recapping the

The Global Fashion Summit in Geneva was a spectacle of unparalleled opulence. Nestled against the backdrop of the snow-capped Swiss Alps, the grand Palais des Expositions had been transformed into a sprawling mecca of high fashion. Flashbulbs strobed constantly near the velvet ropes of the entrance,

The labyrinthine corridors beneath the Palais des Expositions were a stark contrast to the glittering opulence of the main hall. Here, exposed pipes lined the ceiling, and the air smelled faintly of ozone, hairspray, and industrial floor cleaner.

Serena Vance walked alongside Kaelen Cross, her ivo