“The quarterly projections for the Harper-Aldridge foundation are impressive, Leo, but you’ve highlighted a thirty percent increase in the ‘community wellness’ budget. Traditionally, that capital is reserved for infrastructure. Why the pivot?”

Leo Aldridge sat across from his father in the vast, glass-walled office that overlooked the ever-changing skyline of Makazi At twenty-two, Leo was a striking blend of both his parents. He had the sharp, architectural bone structure of the Aldridge men and the piercing amber eyes that had once earned his father the nickname “The Beast.” But when he spoke, there was a cadence to his voice—a rhythmic, steady calm—that was pure Celeste.

“Infrastructure is a skeleton, Papa,”...