The opulent study felt like a gilded cage. Sunlight streamed through the tall, arched windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, but Sophia saw only shadows. Her father, Charles Moreau, paced before the imposing mahogany desk, his usually impeccable suit slightly rumpled, his brow furrowed in a way she’d rarely witnessed. Opposite him, her brother, Jean-Luc, stood rigidly, his face a mask of controlled fury.