The city was alive with a restless energy, the kind that hinted at storms both literal and metaphorical. Justina Ashes and Carson Wills stood in the center of Wills Holdings’ secure boardroom, surrounded by screens and documents that chronicled the latest threat to the Ashes Foundation. The evidence was undeniable: someone was orchestrating a chain of sabotage designed to hit them where it hurt most.

Carson’s jaw was tight. He rubbed a hand across his face before turning to her, voice low ...