Five years later...

The penthouse office was a monument to Elena's hard-won success - sleek lines, polished marble, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering city skyline. She stood framed in that panoramic view like a conquering queen surveying her kingdom.

But the fire that burned in her jade eyes spoke of something far more primal than corporate ambition. This was the gaze of a woman who had clawed her way from the depths of hell and intended to reign over the ashes of those who had tried to destroy her.

A precise rap at the door drew her from her reverie. "Enter," she commanded, her voice ringing with quiet...