The black Rolls-Royce Phantom glided through the rain-slicked streets of Manhattan, finally pulling to a smooth halt in front of a restored brick warehouse in Tribeca. There was no signage on the exterior, only a sleek, unmarked frosted glass door that glowed faintly in the early morning darkness.

The basement laboratory of Thorne Empire had been hastily redecorated overnight. The scuffed laminate desks had been replaced with sleek, mirrored tables, and the flickering fluorescent bulbs had been swapped out for soft, flattering ring lights. Julian had even ordered the maintenance staff to spra

The backstage area of the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Juilliard smelled of rosin, floor wax, and the nervous sweat of prodigies.

Mia Vance stood in the wings, her fingers trembling so violently that she had to interlock them and press them against her stomach. She wore a stunning, sapphire-blue sil