-The Paradox-

Talia Sterling doesn't let people close.
Not in business.
Not in life.
Not ever.

But one unexpected encounter forces her into a dynamic she can't predict - sharp, tense, and far too aware. Someone is matching her pace, mirroring her confidence, and reading the things she tries not to show.

She's not intimidated.
She's not impressed.
She's just... unsettled.

And Talia hates being unsettled.

This deal should be simple.
It isn't.
And she can't shake the feeling that she's standing at the edge of something she didn't plan for.