The morning unfolded with familiar rhythm.
Buses sighed to a halt along the curb. The warm scent of fresh bread drifted from a nearby bakery. And at exactly nine o’clock, the glass doors of Riverstone National Bank slid open with their usual quiet precision.
Inside, the lobby glowed beneath cold artificial light. Marble floors gleamed, reflecting polished surfaces and posters that promised security, trust, and stability. Everything looked flawless—carefully arranged, perfectly controlled.
And yet… something about it felt distant. Almost hollow.
