MasukINT. LANGSTON HOTEL â ELEVATOR â NIGHTThe elevator doors slide shut with a soft, final thud.Mirrors everywhere.Vivian sees herself from every angle lip slightly bitten, pulse visible at her throat. She also sees him. Harrison. Too close. Always too close.He reaches past her and presses the button for the penthouse.The elevator begins to rise. Silence stretches. Thick. Loud.Vivian lets out a breath she didnât know she was holding. âThis was a bad idea,â she says,Harrison doesnât look at her reflection. He looks at her âYou say that like you donât make bad ideas look intentional.âShe scoffs. âThatâs your talent for flattery talking.ââVivian,â he says quietly, âyou didnât call me because you wanted a lecture.âHer jaw tightens. âI called you because I needed someone who wouldnât tell me what to do.âA beat.âThen donât ask me to pretend this is nothing,â he replies.The elevator hums as it climbs.She shifts her weight, heels clicking softly. âYouâre enjoying this.âHis mouth cu
THE FAVINO GRAND MANSION ~ SPAIN The echo of Ameliaâs final wordsââYou do not fucking own meââhung in the dining room like gun smoke. For a full ten seconds, no one moved, no one breathed.Ariana was the first to move.âAmeliaââ she said sharply, already on her feet.Her chair scraped against the marble floor as she rushed after her, heels clicking too fast, too loud. The double doors swung open, then shut behind her with a firm thud.Silence returned. No one spoke. No one even reached for their glass.Then Marisa Favino smiled. It wasnât warm. It wasnât amused. It was thin and sharp in a wicked toneShe slowly set her wine glass down, the soft clink sounding far too loud in the still room.âWell,â Marisa said coolly, folding her hands in front of her, âthat was⊠embarrassing.âElenaâs shoulders stiffened. Serenaâs fork paused halfway to her mouth.Marisa tilted her head, eyes gleaming with disdain.âI warned you,â she continued, her voice smooth and merciless. âA woman who forgets w
ALEXANDER BLACKWOOD MANSION - MASTER SUITEThe door slammed so hard a crystal vase on the console table shivered.âYou seriously just walked out on me? Alexander! Alexander, get back here!âVivianâs shout echoed through the wide bedroom.Only silence answered.He was gone.She stood there for a long moment, fists clenched, breathing hard. The heat of their argument still clung to her skin, buzzing in her veins. Anger twisted in her chest hot, sharp then slowly cooled into something colder and far more dangerous.A reckless spark lit in her eyes.âFine,â she muttered to the empty room. âIf you want to be petty. If you want to turn this into a power game⊠then Iâll play.âShe crossed the room in quick strides and grabbed her phone from the velvet duvet. Her fingers moved fast, sure, like she already knew what she was going to do.She scrolled once. Stopped.A single letter stared back at her.H.Vivianâs lips curved into a slow, deliberate smile.âWell,â she said softly to herself, thu
Arturo shifted in his seat.âItâs the victim of a long-term theft operation,â Amelia continued. âAbout two percent of gross revenue has been diverted every quarter for the past eighteen months.âArturoâs glass shook.Marisa didnât blink. âDiverted how?ââThrough fake operational fees,â Amelia replied. âFees that donât exist in the ports theyâre assigned to. The money was routed through a shell company registered in Gibraltar.âSilence dropped like a blade.Marisa folded her hands. âAnd who authorized these fees?âAmelia didnât look at Arturo.She looked directly at Marisa. âThe digital approvals came from credentials assigned to the regional operations liaison.âThe silence that followed was suffocating. All eyes locked on Arturo.He exploded from his chair, the legs screeching against the floor. âÂĄMentira! A lie! This is⊠this is sabotage! You!â He pointed a shaking finger at Amelia, spittle forming at the corner of his mouth. âYou foreign witch with your computer tricks! You come
BLACKWOOD INDUSTRIES ~ NEW YORK Katherinaâs office was quiet when Damien walked in.Too quiet.She was standing by the window, arms crossed, watching the city below like it had personally offended her. She didnât turn around when she heard the door close.âWell?â she asked coolly. âDid she take the call?âDamien loosened his tie. âShe did.âThat got her attention. Katherina turned slowly, eyes sharp. âAnd?ââShe didnât scream. She didnât deny everything immediately,â Damien said. âShe listened.âKatherinaâs jaw tightened. âThatâs not an answer.âDamien sighed. âShe says itâs not her. That sheâs not attacking Blackwood and she doesnât want any negativity now.âKatherina let out a short laugh. âOf course she said that. Amelia has always been good at lying with a straight face.ââShe didnât sound like she was lying,â Damien said quietly. âI know her too well. Trust me.âThat set Katherina off.âOh, for Godâs sake,â she snapped. âYou called her to get information, not to study her voice
ALEJANDRO MASTER BEDROOM ~ NEW YORK The phone had been buzzing nonstop.Alejandro walked into the master bedroom, holding it up. âMi reina, your phone has been ringing non-stop.âAmelia pushed herself up against the pillows, exhausted. âMy phone? Are you serious? I thought I had it with me all along.â She sighed. âGive it here. Let me see who keeps calling.âAlejandro glanced at the screen. âItâs the same number again,â he said, handing it to her just as it started ringing once more.Amelia frowned and answered. âHello? Who is this?âThere was silence.She pulled the phone away from her ear and scoffed. âIf you donât say anything, Iâm hanging up right now.ââWait,â a familiar voice said quickly. âDonât.âHer body went still.âItâs Damien,â the voice said.Ameliaâs eyes hardened. âYouâve got a lot of nerve calling my phone,â she snapped. âHow did you even get this number? This is my private line.âShe sat up straight. The tiredness vanished, replaced by a cold, calm control.âTalk fas







