Isabella’s POV

The first step of any successful conquest is the assembly of people who will do the dirty work while remaining invisible, unnoticed, and expendable if need be. I lean back in my chair, tracing the rim of my glass as Michael paces beside the table. His presence, once irritating, now feels indispensable, a tool wielded with precision, and I can’t help but admire the cunning in his mind, the way he anticipates every reaction and counters it before it even surfaces. But ...