The transition from the shadows of the Moretti study to the blinding midday sun of the Apollo redevelopment site was jarring.
The site was a symphony of industrial progress. The rhythmic thud-thud of pile drivers and the sharp whistle of foremen filled the air. At the center of the chaos stood Emilia. She wasn't wearing diamonds today; she was in a fitted navy work vest, her hair pulled back, a set of blueprints rolled tight in her hand.
“The load-bearing specs for the north wing are off by three centimeters,” Emilia said, her voice clear and authoritative as she addressed a group of veteran site managers. “Correct it before the concrete pour at 14:00. I won't have the foundation of this project compromised because of a rounding error.”
The men, some twenty years her senior, didn't scof
