The world was still burning from the revelations Grace had unleashed.
Across continents, governments scrambled to distance themselves from the Firebird Project. EmberTech’s stock collapsed overnight. Phoenix Labs was raided by international regulators. Whistleblowers emerged, lawyers mobilized, and across every major news outlet, Grace Ashford's face was splashed as either a villain or a savior.
But while the world debated her legacy, Grace was preparing for war.
Nathaniel found her at dawn, standing at the window of their penthouse overlooking Manhattan. She wore nothing but one of his shirts, her hair a messy waterfall down her back, her eyes locked on the skyline.
"You haven't slept," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
“I couldn’t,” she murmured. “Every time
