The boardroom had never felt this crowded, yet Alyssa had never felt more alone.

Long glass walls reflected the city skyline, sharp and cold, like a blade pressed against the throat of the future. Around the oval table sat the people who believed they owned power—directors in tailored suits, legal advisors with polite smiles, observers pretending neutrality. Every chair was filled. Every breath carried tension.

At the far end of the table sat Davin.

Relaxed. Amused. Dangerous.

He leaned back in his chair as if this were already his victory lap, fingers steepled, dark eyes fixed on Alyssa with an intensity that had long crossed the line between rivalry and...