nce of The Plaza Hotel. The tinted windows turned

said. He didn't look at Aria. He was watching

a said. "Le

ht ear. "I need the security feed fo

then. "You want me

u think I'm asleep," Aria said. "Don'

e pulled a laptop from under his seat. His fingers flew across

ver room to bypass the hardline en

id. "I'll han

. He moved like a ghost. He slipped through the servi

t her timeline was physical, not just strategic. She pushed the

iels board were standing near th

flashing a smile that

d relieved. "We were told the ceremon

start, I have a merger demonstration. A surprise. I

tivator. They followed

s the numbers climbed, Aria texted the rep

pinged. The

1001. Her hand hovered over the brass handle. Her heart wa

e board members, "is th

kled. "You're live. Main ballroom

ew the d

cliché, but clichés are

f-naked, a tangle of limbs and expensive sheets. A bottle of c

ercing shriek. She scrambled for

his own pants. He crashed into a side tab

hem. Then he saw the board mem

shed. The reporter had s

She didn't cry.

strategy?" Aria as

guests were watching this on a forty-foot LED

olding a pillow over his crotch

violation of the morality clause in the pr

ped the

ising its right to terminate the merger due

She looked pathetic, shivering un

for three years,

d members. They looked

father's legacy?" Aria asked. "A man who c

his head. He turned

ice said in Aria's ear. "Extr

shed. The room spu

lked out. She kept her chin hi

ees bu

ght her before s

elbows, his grip iron-hard. He looke

e," he

im, just for a sec

ane said. "The in