At exactly 2 p.m., Aarika walked into a quiet café hidden between office buildings. The walls were lined with bookshelves and the air smelled of roasted beans and aged leather.
He was already there.
Lucas Vale. One-time rival, almost-ally. In her previous life, she had dismissed him. He disappeared after a scandal—a scandal Zayden had orchestrated behind the scenes.
Now she had arrived before the storm.
"Lucas," she greeted.
He looked up, puzzled. "Do I know you?"
"Not yet. But you will."
He watched her with sharp eyes as she sat across from him.
"I want to make you an offer," she said, leaning in. "A partnership. But more than that—I'm offering you a way to survive."
He folded his arms. "You're speaking in riddles."
"I'm speaking the truth," she replied. "And trust me, Lucas. I don't waste time."