Isabella sat in the dimly lit study, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she combed through the mountain of paperwork on her father’s desk. The room was filled with the rich scent of old leather and polished wood, the bookshelves lining the walls stacked high with volumes that had been in her family for generations. A single lamp cast a warm glow over the desk, illuminating the stacks of documents, financial statements, and security reports she was trying to make sense of. The past week had been an endless cycle of work and worry, her father still lying in the hospital, his condition stable but not improving. The weight of his responsibilities now rested on her shoulders, a burden she had never anticipated having to carry so soon.
The chair creaked as she leaned back, rubbing her temple
