Cassian – POV

The moment my shoes touched the polished driveway, I adjusted my suit jacket and straightened my cuffs, releasing a long breath as I took in the familiar sight of the estate. Everything was just as I remembered—immaculate hedges, grand iron gates, the distant hum of sprinklers misting over emerald lawns.

James, my ever-reliable driver and unofficial right-hand man, followed a few paces behind, carrying my briefcase like the good soldier he always was. The morning sun gleamed ...