Serena’s POV
The penthouse is a hive of controlled urgency, the midday sun streaming through the windows, illuminating the dining table cluttered with conference schedules, encrypted files, and coffee cups from our sleepless night. The air carries a faint hint of jasmine from my perfume, a lingering echo of the closeness with Adrian—his kiss on the sofa, his arm around me, a moment of solace that steadied my nerves. I stand by the window, my gray sweater soft against my skin, my hair tied back, my mind racing with the revelation of Elena Voss, Adrian’s cousin, as Lila’s potential backer. The “Phase Two” plan—sabotaging my reputation at the medical conference—looms like a guillotine, Victor’s arrest a stepping stone to this final act. The twins, safe with Clara, remain my anchor, their sup
