The Moment They Realized They Had No Plan
After their ridiculous escape through the marketplace (which included a fruit avalanche, runaway chickens, and Caspian getting stuck in a trash can), the Sterling heirs finally had a moment to breathe.
Their hiding spot?
A dusty, abandoned service tunnel beneath the city—something Zephyr had spotted in a last-minute survival instinct.
For several minutes, they just sat there, catching their breath, trying to process what had just happened.
Then, predictably, chaos erupted.
Solene glared. "WHY are we running from men in suits? That is literally the opposite of my life goal."
Zephyr paced aggressively, muttering about failed strategies and bad escape routes.
Caspian—still recovering from his trash-can injuries—just whispered, "I think I'm allergic to running."
Despite their many, many failures, one thing was clear.
Whoever was chasing them?
Was serious.
Which meant—they needed a plan.
Step 1: Understanding the Danger (Terrible Conclusions Are Made)
Zephyr, still stuck in CEO mode, decided they needed to list out everything they knew so far.
Facts About Their Situation:
Their father exiled them the moment Sterling Enterprises started facing an unknown crisis.Sebastian Voss—a high-ranking strategist—was secretly meeting with suspicious individuals.The mysterious men chasing them clearly knew who they were—and did NOT want them investigating.
The problem?
None of these facts actually led to answers.
And, as Solene dramatically pointed out—they were still broke, unemployed, and completely unequipped for corporate espionage.
Which meant—they had to rethink everything.
Step 2: Locating Their Next Clue (Chaos Ensues)
Since the service tunnel had access to multiple streets, their best bet was figuring out where their pursuers had come from before spotting them.
Which led to yet another terrible decision.
Caspian—in a moment of confidence he absolutely did not earn—suggested they follow the opposite direction of the men in suits to see what they had been protecting.
Zephyr hesitated, calculating risks.
Solene sighed, already knowing this was going to be a disaster.
Caspian grinned, completely unaware of how bad his idea was.
And then—they left the tunnel, walking straight into their next mistake.