The first change was so small that it did not deserve attention. Seraphina noticed it anyway; the car arrived thirty seconds late. It was not enough to disrupt anything. The schedule remained intact, the driver apologised with professional restraint, and the morning proceeded exactly as planned. Anyone else would have dismissed it as traffic or timing. It did not linger long enough to become a problem, but Seraphina did not forget it.
She stored it, as she did everything that did not align with expectations, quietly, without reaction.
Ashford Tower rose in front of her as it always did, its glass reflecting a sky that had not yet fully decided its colour. The entrance was controlled, precise, and predictable. Security greeted her by name. The doors opened without delay. The environment followed a pattern that had been consistent for months.
Consistency allowed her to notice deviations.
