Her enemy requested a private meeting. Against every warning, Hana agreed.
The rooftop was cold, the city lights glittering below. He stepped forward, smirk sharp as a blade. "You've grown, Hana. Stronger. But strength doesn't win wars—alliances do. Join me. Marry me. Combine our empires, and no one can touch us."
Hana's stomach churned, but she didn't flinch.
"Your mistake," she said evenly, "was thinking I could be bought. I don't need your empire. I already have mine."
For the first time, his smile cracked.
And Hana knew: the war had officially begun.