Chapter 10

The coastal wind whipped against the glass walls of Derek’s mansion, but inside, the kitchen was a pressure cooker. Elena sat at the island, her laptop open to a spreadsheet of Horizon’s investor projections, her fingers drumming an impatient beat. Derek paced near the counter, phone pressed to his ear, voice tight. “Yes, Mr. Chen, we’re on it. No withdrawals—just trust us.” He hung up, slamming the phone down. Elena didn’t flinch. “Another one?” she asked, eyes on her screen.