Chapter 1 - THE SHADOW IN THE KITCHENI watched from the shadows. Claire, the woman who commanded my empire with a single glance, was being berated by a manager who looked like he’d never held a real job in his life. She didn't fight back. She just took it, her hand trembling as she cleared a table.

I wasn't looking at a spy. I was looking at a woman drowning in a reality I hadn't built for her. I walked out of the shadows, and the diner went silent. The manager recognized me instantly—the man who owned the shipping lanes they all relied on. He turned pale. I didn't even look at him. I walked straight to Claire.