Evelina took a deep breath as she gazed out the floor-to-ceiling windows of her penthouse office. The city skyline glimmered in the golden rays of the setting sun, a testament to the empire she had built from the ashes of her past. A gentle knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she called out, turning to face the entrance.

Alden stepped inside, his chiseled features softened by a warm smile. "Hard at work as always, I see."

Evelina couldn't help but smile back. "You know me, always striving for more."

Alden closed the distance between them, enveloping her in a tender embrace. "That's one of the...