The dawn mist clung to the villa's hedges like a shroud, and Evelyn Lin stood at the edge of the rose garden, fingertips brushing dew‑soaked petals. Her transplanted heart fluttered, not with fear, but grim resolve. Ten days since the gazebo gambit, and the System—disabled but not yet fully purged—still pulsed faintly beneath her skin. Every sunrise brought new threats: corporate reprisals, legal entanglements, and the endless specter of the board's wrath.
A soft footstep behind her made her pause. Aria Shen, head nurse and clandestine ally, emerged from the pergola's stone archway, carrying a leather satchel bulging with files. “Morning, Evelyn. I've compiled the contingency blueprints."
Evelyn turned, eyes sharp. “Good. What's first?"
Aria set the satchel on a nearby bench and unbuckl
