It was supposed to be just another day. I’d turned eighteen a week ago, and nothing had changed. My life was still a cage, my every move monitored, every skill sharpened for their purposes. But today, something shifted. Something I didn’t see coming.
The man entered my room without knocking, his presence oozing arrogance. I knew him—Mikhail, one of the higher-ups in the organization. He’d always looked at me too long, his eyes lingering in ways that made my skin crawl. But I was used to men like him. I’d learned to keep my distance, to avoid confrontation.
Today, I wasn’t so lucky.
“Aleksi,” he drawled, shutting the door behind him. His voice was sickeningly sweet, the kind of tone that made my stomach churn. “You’ve grown into quite the woman. So strong, so beautiful.”
I stiffened, my
