The lobby of the building formerly known as Thorne Empire was a circus of flashing lights, shouting reporters, and corporate chaos.

Outside the towering glass doors, the morning sun beat down on Fifth Avenue, illuminating the massive cherry-picker crane parked on the sidewalk. Two workers in hard

The laboratory on the top floor of the Aura House skyscraper was a marvel of modern chemistry and architectural brilliance. Unlike the dark, windowless basement Julian had tried to banish her to, this space was a cathedral of light. Floor-to-ceiling reinforced glass offered a breathtaking, panoramic