Zara was never supposed to walk that floor.
Her assignment was simple: rotate security every two hours, cover the lower ten levels, and never question the protocols around Floor 21.
“Private tenant,” her supervisor had warned. “No calls. No keys. No interference.”
But the rules didn’t stop curiosity.
And Zara had always been curious.
That night, as she leaned against the security desk, the quiet hum of the city outside made her thoughts wander.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
And imagined.
The elevator button for Floor 21 lit up under her fingertips.
Her pulse raced as the car rose. She imagined herself stepping onto a carpeted hallway lined with mirrored panels and rich silence.
She passed the suite 21B.
Suddenly, her radio crackled.
“Curious, aren’t we?”
A man’s voice. Ric
