I have never been in an office that made me feel this small before. Floor-to-ceiling windows bled sunlight across sleek white marble, the kind of sterile shine that made you feel like you didn’t belong unless you were made of money or steel. Probably both. The air smelled like power filtered, masculine, expensive. Leather, citrus, something colder underneath I couldn’t name.

Kyl’s assistant led me through without a word. Her heels clicked with the kind of efficiency I envied.

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