district tasted of exhaust and ancient dust. It was a metallic tang tha

ls clicking against the uneven pavement with a pr

She was the Lead Architect of Hart & Associates. She ha

my,

soft, radiant smile as she looked down at her five-year-old son, Leo. He was bundled up in an ove

onna fix?" Leo asked, his voice h

hia cooed, kneeling right there on the dusty gravel, comple

with an ache of pure adoration. "We aren't just fixing i

rd the jagged silhouette of the old Kingston Plaza-a building that

ing a stray curl away from his forehead. She kissed his bro

rafting table in London, had been for him. She had spoiled him with love and c

aking his tiny hand back in hers.

o prepare for the committee presentation. Sophia sat Leo down in a plush leather chair, imme

e. "Mommy has to go into a big, boring meeting for a little bit. I need my brave little knight to be super quie

color that Sophia still tried to convince herself was just a genet

rocket ship?!" Leo gaspe

ing the palm of his hand. "You can p

ide universe, Mommy!" he promised, immedia

my perfe

atched vanity mirror on the wall. The soft, doting mother vanished, replace

him safely at a corner café table within her line of sight. With a final, reassuring wink at h

logne and ruthless ambition. At the far end of the table sat the project's primary financier, hi

h an audible thud. "Good morning. I'm Sop

s offered polite

ed, flipping through her file. "They are avant-garde, cert

dropping into a cool, commanding register. "My design respects the histo

aim," a vo

that skipped straight past her ears and settled deep in her marrow. I

r slowly

ingston loo

oyish softness she once loved was entirely gone, replaced by a razor-sharp, terrifying

he was looking at a ghost. His hand gripped the edg

ng her face, then dropping to the pulse fluttering

n her mind-Protect Leo. He is downstairs. Alexande

oice steady despite the liquid fire in her veins. "I don't believe in leav

harp, deli

s before it was masked by corporate indifference. He leaned forward,

a dangerous undertone meant for her ears alone. "An architect of your caliber should kn

project her digital blueprints onto the screen. Her hands shook slightly, but she forged ahead. "If you have

tching across her presentation. He didn't lo

h as he turned to the room. "But this project requires an intimate understanding of our alignm

heir briefcases and scurried out of the room. Within moments, the ma

epped out first, his long, predatory strides cutting across the floor. Sophia followed close

was to

tracks. His eyes had tracked a

ked over to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, pressing his small hands

ck of footsteps, Leo

sharp, ragged gas

ir, the same tilt of the chin, and most damni

n of dates, math, and memories. Five years. Sophi

e electric on his tongue as he took a s

ing Leo from his sight. The doting, warm mother was gone; she was a lioness protecting h

r. He reached out and timidly wrapped his small fingers

squeezing gently to comfort him. She didn't look back at her son, keeping he

chilling, absolute iron tone that cut through the space between

k her career, but he had no power over her soul. She had faced the truth of her pregnancy al

ia whispered, her voice a sharp, final