The rain tapped gently against the cracked window of Leena's small apartment, a rhythmic reminder of the world outside. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the flickering neon sign from the convenience store across the street. It wasn't much, but it was better than the streets. Better than home.
Her phone buzzed—a message from a regular client. She ignored it, her thoughts elsewhere. On the past. On the future she once dreamed of.
"Lawyer," she whispered, the word foreign now. Almost laughable.
Once, Leena had been a top student, obsessed with justice and the idea of making a difference. She'd scribbled notes late into the night, fueled by ambition and the naive belief that hard work would lift her out of the life she was born into. But ambition didn't keep a roof over her head when her mother chose a man over her daughter. Ambition didn't fill the void left by broken promises.
A sudden knock at the door pulled her back to reality. Her heart jumped. Rent was due, and she knew who it might be.
She opened the door cautiously. It wasn't her landlord. It was a courier, holding a sleek black envelope.
"Leena?" the man asked, barely glancing at her as he thrust the envelope into her hands. No explanation, just a curt nod before he disappeared down the dimly lit hallway.
She closed the door and turned the envelope over in her hands. The paper was thick, expensive. Out of place in her world.
Inside was a gold-embossed invitation to a private event. The signature at the bottom made her heart skip a beat.
**The Azuris.**
Her pulse quickened. The name meant something. Power. Wealth. Secrets. But why her?
Leena's gaze drifted to the cracked mirror on the wall, her reflection staring back—hardened eyes, dreams buried under layers of survival.