VIV’S POV

Whatever the fuck my father said that made me come here? It needs to be recorded and kept on a constant replay.

The crisp morning air carried a whisper of autumn as I stepped out of the towering office building, my heels clicking against the pavement.

The interview had gone smoothly—expected, considering my father had arranged this internship months ago. It was merely a formality, another move in his grand chess game.

But this particular firm had ties to Blackwood Corporation, which meant occasional visits to the empire that had once been my world.

I didn’t linger on that thought.

My phone buzzed just as I reached my...