Aiden Knight's POV
The morning air carries the scent of impending storm as I make my way through the city streets. Dark clouds gather overhead, matching the atmosphere surrounding today's opening ceremony. My phone hasn't stopped buzzing since dawn.
"Aiden, thank god you answered." Jasper Finch's voice crackles through the speaker, tight with concern. "I've been trying to reach you for hours."
I navigate around a group of protesters holding signs denouncing the Heavenly Justice Group. Their chants follow me down the sidewalk.
"What's the situation, Jasper?"
"Bad. Really bad. The boycott has spread beyond the five families. Local businesses are refusing to provide catering, security, even basic services for today's ceremony."
"And?"
"The media coverage is brutal. They're calling it the most anticipated business failure in Everbrook City's history."
I turn the corner toward my apartment building. More protesters line the streets, their hostile stares tracking my movement.
