Chapter 33: The Countess of Lokir

The morning sun filtered through the large windows of Kerrigan’s office, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Despite the warmth of the sunlight, the atmosphere in the room felt anything but bright. Kerrigan sat behind her desk, her posture rigid, her fingers gripping a pen with undue force as she stared at the latest report from her public relations team.

Across from her, Evelynn and Gabriella stood at attention near the door, ready to respond to any command. But they, too, could sense the storm brewing just beyond the walls of Dragon Corporation.

“Countess Lokir.” The words were printed boldly across the top of the latest Friday morning news article, the title glaring up at her like an accusation. For years, Kerrigan had worked to build her identity as a business leader, separate from her noble heritage. But now, with the media’s relentless pursuit of the story, that carefully constructed image was crumbling.

“They’re starting to connect the dots,” Kerrigan said, her voic