Present Time…
My hand hovered over the elevator button, though I didn’t need to press it. The doors slid open on their own... silent, precise, almost anticipatory, and I stepped inside, forcing my breathing into a steady rhythm.
This wasn’t just an interview. I reminded myself of that again and again as the doors closed in front of me. This was a decision. A calculated one.
The elevator began its smooth ascent, and my reflection stared back at me from the mirrored walls. I looked composed. Calm. Like I belonged here.
But I knew better.
Nineteen. Came out of the orphanage. No family name, no safety net, no one to catch me if this went wrong. And yet, here I was.
Walking straight into the world of Wilthon Rachford… the kind of man people didn’t approach unless they had something to of
