The morning sun spilled lazily across the Giovanni estate, gilding the tall windows and polished marble floors with light. For most, the glow would have been comforting. For Rhea, it was nothing but a spotlight, a reminder that every day she was meant to shine brighter than the rest of the world.

She lay across her silk sheets like a goddess risen from slumber. The knock at her door irritated her. It wasn’t gentle. It was tentative. Weak. She hated weak.

...