The silence in the executive office of Thorne Industries was absolute, save for the frantic, erratic tapping of Julian Thorne’s fingers against his mahogany desk. He stared at the glowing screen of his laptop, his bloodshot eyes scanning medical journals, surgical directories, and experimental nerve

The rain began to fall over the city in thick, heavy sheets, beating against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Thorne penthouse. Inside, the massive luxury apartment was submerged in shadows, the only light coming from the moody, gray storm outside.

The front door clicked open, and Chloe Mercer

The private aviation terminal was a fortress of quiet luxury, insulated from the brewing storm outside. Thunder rumbled low and ominous, vibrating against the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooked the tarmac. The sky was the color of a bruised plum, heavy and weeping, as the first violent d