et. She pushed past the rows of soft cashmere sweaters and pastel silk dresses

r McQueen. She hadn't worn it in five years. She paired it with a blood

etic red lip. A sharp, defined eyeliner t

nt, she was no longer Julian Sterl

in Midtown. The lobby was a cavern of marble and glass

thm on the polished floor. She swiped the old ID badge she'd found in the b

flashed red. A loud, buzzin

ook what the c

opment, stood there with a smug grin. He'd always treated her with a thinly veile

he sneered. "The gall

She turned her cold gaze to the security desk. "

her eyes wide with uncertainty. But the name 'Mrs. Sterling' still carried we

ading for the executive elevator. She pressed th

ll, incessant pulse. The main lab, a vast open space filled wit

nn shouted, having followed her up. "Why a

hair. "The molecular bonds are degrading under thermal stre

ling glass whiteboard that dominated the center of the lab. It was cover

d up a bl

rew a huge 'X' through th

han sputtered, rushing toward her. "That's pr

rker against the glass, the sharp crack silencing

, her voice cutting throug

equation, a long, elegant string of symbols and numbers. It was a macromole

ack. His eyes widened, and a slow, dawn

l ring... it stabilizes the entire structure. It's... it's perfect." H

, the red, flashing 'UNSTABLE' warning tur

arms c

absolute. Every single person

ho are you? How did you know that? That's a fou

a tray. She turned to face them, her red

authority, "because I'm the one who wrote the origi

s ashen. He looked li

r of the floor. Toward the large, empty corner office with

to Ethan. "I want it cleared out and m

ilence in her wake. She poured herself a black coffee and stood by the window, lookin