Chapter 25 Crossroads

• The evening sky bled red over Manhattan, the glass towers catching the last rays of the sun like molten fire trapped in steel. The city hummed below, alive with movement, ambition, and greed—but tonight, none of that mattered. Tonight, a choice would be made, one that would either consume a man or free him entirely.
• Konstantine stood alone on the Volkova penthouse balcony, coat draped over his shoulders, hands gripping the railing. Below, the river mirrored the crimson sky, restless, waiting. The wind tugged at the hem of his coat, carrying with it the faint echoes of old loyalties, long-standing vendettas, and promises that had never been kept.
• Behind him, the soft, deliberate click of heels announced Milady’s presence. She leaned against the doorframe, white blazer stark against the dying light, arms crossed. Her gaze met his across the terrace, golden and unwavering, her patience as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel.