CASPIAN'S POV;

I drummed my fingers lightly on the mahogany desk, the rhythmic tapping the only sound in my otherwise silent office. The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows that danced on the polished surface. My eyes flicked to the clock on the wall—she should be arriving any moment now.

I had deliberately left the door unlocked this morning, a rare departure from my usual habit of keeping it secured.The door creaked open, and Ayra, my personal assistant, stepped in with a brisk, “Good morning, Sir.”

Her voice had a note of cheerfulness I wasn’t expecting. It threw me off, considering the way things had ended between...