Chapter 189

Octavia Mercer stood at her office window, watching rain stream down the glass in crooked rivers. The sky hung heavy and dark over Manhattan, matching her mood. While Beatrix and Gideon continued their extended honeymoon in Italy, basking in Mediterranean sun and newlywed joy, Octavia faced a concerning situation alone.

Behind her, Caleb Yen, head of Mercer Industries security, waited