Helena Chen stepped into the gleaming lobby of the Meridian Hotel like she owned the place—and perhaps, once upon a time, she might’ve said she did. Her heels clicked against polished marble, the echo sharp and commanding. She was elegance dressed in steel—flawless makeup, a coat tailored to perfection, and an expression that said she hadn’t come to play games.

The mirror-like elevator doors caught her reflection as she paused, adjusting the diamond earring on her left ear. Her skin, ...