The VIP lounge on the mezzanine level overlooked the grand ballroom through a wall of tinted, soundproof glass. Inside, the room was dimly lit, furnished with plush leather sofas and a fully stocked mahogany bar.

Clara stood by the window, looking down at the hundreds of guests mingling below. She

The grand ballroom was packed. Three hundred of the most influential developers, investors, and architectural critics in the country were seated at round tables, murmuring in anticipation. At the front of the room, a massive digital projector screen displayed the glowing logo of Vance Designs.

Juli

The ballroom was entirely empty. The police had escorted Julian out in handcuffs, his face shielded from the flashing cameras of the press by a ruined tuxedo jacket. The investors had fled to do damage control, and the catering staff had quietly vanished.

Only the debris of a shattered empire rema