The morning sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Elena’s new studio, illuminating the space in a brilliant, golden wash.

The atmosphere was entirely different from the frantic energy of the night before. Today, the studio felt like a sanctuary. Elena sat behind her massive glass desk

The penthouse suite of the Cross Conglomerate tower was quiet, a stark contrast to the thumping bass and roar of the crowd hundreds of feet below. Elena Croft stood before the floor-to-ceiling mirror, her reflection a portrait of absolute, unyielding power.

She wore a gown of her own creation—a ma