LOGINâLyra, itâs about time to wake up,â Serena shouts right into my ear, nudging my shoulder like the house is on fire. I groan and pull the duvet over my head. âDamn, girl. Todayâs Sunday. Leave me alone.â My head is spinning, the kind of dull ache that feels like last night is still sitting somewhere behind my eyes. âWoman, stand up and take this med so you can feel better,â Serena continues, relentless. I crack one eye open. âWhat time is it?â I mumble, not really asking anyone in particular. âItâs past one,â she replies. I drop the duvet. âDamn,â I mutter. âItâs that late already?â It feels like I slept for two hours. Maybe less. My body is heavy, slow, like itâs still underwater. Serena presses the pills into my palm and hands me a glass of water. âYou danced like you were twenty-one again. Donât argue with me.â âI did notâŚâ She gives me a look. I sigh and swallow the pills, sitting up slowly. The room smells faintly like last nightâŚperfume, heat, something sweet and live
By the time we pulled up to the club, the night already felt aliveâŚ.music leaking out onto the pavement, bass vibrating through the soles of my heels before I even stepped out of the car. Lucas was waiting at the entrance. Serena squealed the second she saw him, abandoning all composure as she launched herself forward. He caught her easily, laughing, spinning her once before setting her back down like she weighed nothing. âYou came early,â she accused, smiling up at him. âFor you?â he said. âAlways.â I smiled to myself, stepping aside as they folded into each other, already lost in their own little world. Soren handled the door with quiet efficiencyâŚ.brief exchange, subtle nod, no fuss. We were ushered in immediately, bypassing the line like it didnât exist. Seth followed behind us, shaking his head. âMust be nice,â he muttered. Inside, the club was dark and glowing all at once. Neon lights cut through the haze. Bodies moved in rhythm. Laughter, perfume, heat. Everything felt
Serena woke me up by yelling my name like the house was on fire. âLYRA!â I groaned and pulled the pillow over my head. âIf this is about candles or balloons, I swearâŚâ She burst into the room anyway, already laughing, already wide awake, wearing a silk robe that said birthday behavior even before she opened her mouth. âGet up,â she said. âItâs my birthday.â âI know,â I muttered. âYouâve been announcing it since midnight.â She climbed onto the bed and bounced once. âAnd Iâll keep announcing it until I sleep again.â I cracked one eye open. âYouâre doing too much.â She leaned down, grinning in my face. âYou love me.â I sighed, smiling despite myself. âUnfortunately.â Downstairs, the house was already buzzing. Music playing softly. The smell of food. Serenaâs brother Seth is moving chairs around while complaining under his breath. Soren himself standing in the kitchen, coffee in hand, calm like birthdays werenât emotional landmines. Serena waved at him. âDaddy! Donât stress. Iâ
It had been one full week since Soren came back. Seven days of the office feeling⌠shifted. Not louder. Not quieter. Just different. Like somebody had moved the furniture an inch to the left and now everyone could feel it, even if no one said anything. And because life liked to pile things on for effect, it was also Serenaâs birthday week. I knew before I even opened my eyes. My phone was already buzzing like it had personal beef with me, and I hadnât brushed my teeth, hadnât checked the mirror, hadnât even decided if I was emotionally available yet. Serena. I rolled onto my back and answered. âGood morning, chaos.â âLyra,â she said, breathless like sheâd been waiting all night, âdo you know what week it is?â I dragged myself out of bed, shuffling toward the bathroom. âIf this is one of your gamesâŚâ âItâs my birthday week,â she cut in. âWhich means your life now revolves around me. Donât fight it.â I laughed, toothpaste already in my mouth. âLegally?â âYes. Spiritually. Em
I walk into the meeting late. Not dramatically so. Not enough to cause a stir. Just late enough to be noticed. The room is already fullâŚchairs occupied, laptops open, voices mid-discussion. The air feels dense with focus and expectation, and for half a second, my instinct is to retreat. Then I feel it. His eyes. They find me immediately. I know because I donât need to look to be sure. âIâm sorry,â I say, voice steady despite the fluttering in my chest. âTraffic.â A weak excuse. A real one. Soren doesnât speak right away. He simply watches me as I move toward the empty seat, his gaze following with an attention that makes my pulse stutter. Not disapproval. Not irritation. Assessment. Slow. Thorough. I slide into my chair, smoothing my skirt beneath me, suddenly too aware of how it hugs my hips, how the fabric pulls just enough when I sit. I chose this outfit carefully this morningâŚtold myself it was for confidence, for professionalism. That was a lie. His eyes linger a mo
Zurich leaves no residue. The city is clean in its efficiency, sharp in its expectations. Meetings start when they are scheduled to start. People say what they mean. Decisions are made without ceremony, without apology. I leave having accomplished exactly what I went there to do. That should be enough. By the time the plane touches down, my phone is already full. Messages from AV. Internal briefings. Calendar confirmations. I respond as the car moves through the city, eyes scanning lines of text I know I will remember later. I donât go home. Thereâs no reason to. The office is where clarity lives. When I step out of the car, the building rises to meet meâŚglass, steel, quiet authority. Familiar. Grounding. The lobby staff straighten subtly as I pass. A greeting here, a nod there. Nothing excessive. AV falls into step beside me immediately, tablet already active. âWelcome back, sir.â âThank you.â We walk. She updates me efficientlyâŚ.minor delays, one unresolved issue in procu







