As the morning sun lit up the streets of New York, Grace took the wheel of her luxury car. Ahead of her was an important investment meeting. Her mind was still preoccupied with the envelope in the window, but she tried to push those thoughts aside. Control was in her hands. As always.

  But that day... everything was different.

  On the road, a little outside the city, the car’s left rear tire suddenly blew. As she lost control and pulled over to the side, two masked figures quickly approached from behind. Before they could break the window, the door opened, one grabbed her arm, and the other blindfolded her.

  There was no time to scream.

  Despite Grace’s body reflexively resisting, it was clear they were well-trained. In no time, she was placed in the back seat of a vehicle, her hands cuffed. After a half-hour journey in the dark, the car stopped. They entered through the squeak of a cold metal door. The smell of diesel, rust, and dampness filled the air... it was a warehouse.

  When she opened her eyes, a man in a suit stood in front of her, wearing black glasses that resembled a mask. Two silent figures stood behind him.

  "Grace Whitmore," the man said. "We need to talk to you about something private."

  Grace lifted her head. Her voice didn’t tremble, but her eyes burned with anger. "Kidnapping me isn’t the best way to start a conversation."

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  The man continued without flinching. "We know you paid attention to the envelope in your office. That was just a warning. But now... we have a serious offer."

  A screen lit up. News channels ran stories, corruption documents, fake company reports, and Grace’s name. Her eyes froze.

  The man spoke again: "That was just the first part of the allegations. We have more ready. We have documents, witnesses, confessions... You could spend years in New York's most dangerous prison. Or..."

  A deep silence followed. Then:

  "You can work for us. What we need from you is to explore another reality. We are a group that controls the world order from the shadows. We need you because no one knows the system better than you."

  Grace gritted her teeth and stood up. Her handcuffs had already been removed.

  There was a moment of silence. Grace, eyes cast downward in the dark warehouse, thought about the company she had built, the empire she had constructed, and everything she had sacrificed for it. She had always controlled her life, but now the strings were in someone else’s hands. She had to decide whether to surrender or turn this game in her favor.

  Perhaps accepting this offer was the only way out of the situation she was in. Maybe, during this mission, she could gather evidence, disprove the charges against her, or even uncover the truth behind it all.

  She took a deep breath. Then, raising her head, she looked the man straight in the eye. Her voice was clear, firm, and cold:

  "I accept the offer," she said. "But remember... I’m not a dog. I don’t wear a leash. I’ll play this game for you. But one day... I’ll make you pay for it."

  The man smiled. "That’s exactly what we expected from you."

  In the dark, a fire ignited in Grace’s eyes. This wasn’t the moment she had been broken... it was the moment she was reborn.