Morning arrived quietly over Kintara City.
Soft sunlight slipped through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse at Aurelia Towers, painting long golden lines across the marble floors. Far below, the city was already awake. Traffic moved steadily through the streets, and the glass towers of the Crown District reflected the pale blue of the early sky.
Inside the penthouse, however, everything was still.
Alessia Kane opened her eyes slowly.
For a moment she didn't move.
The first thing she noticed was the silence.
The second was the dull ache pressing against the back of her temples.
She closed her eyes again.
"…Right," she murmured quietly.
The memory of the previous night surfaced in fragments.
The music at Obsidian Lounge.
Maya laughing.
Too many drinks.
And the brief collision with a tall stranger in the washroom corridor.
Alessia exhaled slowly into the pillow.
She rarely drank that much.
Today, her body was making sure she remembered it.
After a moment she pushed the silk duvet aside and sat up.
The room spun faintly before settling again.
"Wonderful."
Her voice was dry.
The master bedroom of the penthouse was spacious and minimal, designed with clean lines and neutral colours. A glass wall overlooked the skyline of Kintara City, giving the room an unobstructed view of the rising morning sun.
Normally Alessia appreciated the view.
Today the light felt aggressive.
She stood carefully and walked toward the windows.
Her bare feet brushed against the cool marble floor.
Outside, the city stretched endlessly toward the horizon.
Kintara looked powerful in the morning.
Orderly.
Efficient.
Predictable.
Alessia rested one hand against the glass for a moment before turning away.
Her routine usually began at six.
Today it was already past eight.
She walked toward the bathroom, tying the belt of her silk robe loosely around her waist.
The moment the shower turned on, steam began filling the glass enclosure.
Hot water helped.
Gradually the tension in her head eased as the warmth washed over her shoulders.
The events of yesterday resurfaced again.
The apartment.
The bedroom door.
Ethan's voice.
And the woman laughing beside him.
Alessia's expression remained unchanged.
After several minutes she stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a white towel.
By the time she returned to the bedroom, the sunlight had grown brighter.
She selected a simple outfit for the day—an elegant cream blouse, tailored black trousers, and a structured blazer.
Professional.
Controlled.
Exactly how she preferred to appear.
Once dressed, she moved toward the kitchen.
The penthouse kitchen was sleek and modern, built entirely from dark stone and brushed steel.
Alessia filled a glass with water and drank it slowly.
Then another.
Her phone rested on the marble counter where she had dropped it the night before.
The screen lit when she picked it up.
Several missed calls appeared immediately.
All from the same number.
Ethan.
Her expression remained neutral.
The phone rang again.
She watched the screen for a moment before answering.
Ethan's voice came through instantly.
"Alessia—thank God you picked up. Listen, I know yesterday looked bad, but—"
She ended the call.
The silence returned immediately.
Seconds later the phone rang again.
Alessia declined the call.
Then she opened her contacts.
Her thumb hovered over Ethan's name for only a second before she tapped it.
Block Contact.
A small notification appeared.
She confirmed it.
Then she opened her messaging app.
Block.
Social media.
Block.
The process took less than a minute.
When she finished, she set the phone back down on the counter.
Outside the window, the city continued moving as if nothing had happened.
Cars filled the streets.
Helicopters crossed the skyline toward the private terminals of Kintara International Airport.
Inside the penthouse, the quiet felt deliberate now.
Alessia finished her water and moved toward the living area.
The penthouse was large but uncluttered, designed with clean architecture and understated luxury. Glass walls surrounded the entire space, offering a panoramic view of the skyline.
She paused briefly beside the terrace doors.
For a moment she simply stood there.
Then she turned away.
By nine o'clock she was ready to leave.
Her handbag rested neatly on the entry table beside the private elevator.
Before stepping inside, she checked her phone once more.
There were three new missed calls.
From an unknown number.
Alessia blocked that one too.
Then she slipped the phone into her bag and pressed the elevator button.
The doors closed smoothly.
As the elevator descended through Aurelia Towers, the city skyline grew closer through the glass panels.
By the time she stepped into the underground parking garage, Alessia Kane looked exactly the way the world expected her to look.
Calm.
Composed.
Untouchable.
Her driver opened the door of the black sedan waiting near the entrance.
"Good morning, Miss Kane."
"Good morning."
The car pulled away from the building moments later, merging smoothly into the morning traffic of Kintara City.
Ahead, the towering glass structure of Kane Luxe Tower rose above the skyline of the Crown District.
Work awaited.
And Alessia had no intention of slowing down.