*Noah's POV*
The Manhattan skyline rises before us like a monument to ambition. After eight hours on the road, Scarlett and I finally cross into New York City. The late afternoon sun catches the glass towers, turning them into pillars of gold and fire.
"It's beautiful," Scarlett breathes, pressing her face to the passenger window.
"First time here?"
"For more than a layover, yes. It's so different from Orlando."
I navigate through the traffic, noting the subtle differences from the last time I was here. More construction. New buildings reaching for the sky. The eternal rhythm of a city that never stops growing.
"Look," Scarlett points ahead. "One World Trade Center."
The tower dominates the skyline, gleaming and defiant. I feel a familiar tightness in my chest when I see it. My grandfather helped fund the reconstruction after 9/11. The Steele family has deep roots in this city's resurrection.
"Want to go up to the observation deck later?" I ask.
