The sun had barely risen when the world began to shift beneath their feet.

Dawn spilled across the glass windows of the penthouse, painting the marble floor in shades of gold and rose. But there was nothing beautiful about the air inside the room—it was thick, charged, and humming with unspoken truths.

Lydia stood at the edge of the balcony, her silk robe fluttering like a wounded flag. She hadn’t slept. The events of the previous night—the confrontation, the betrayal, the chilling phone call that had shattered the last piece of her peace—still echoed in her mind.

Behind her, Adrian’s voice broke the silence.

“You’re avoiding me again.”

She didn’t...