ter

opened wit

it-the shift from London's li

ron and stone, old architecture softened by modern precision. Security cameras were almost invis

a

retending to

ver wet gravel. The gates sealed behind them w

idn't lo

ching the

calcu

portico. Before the driver could s

around t

ned

a

a ges

pped ou

led like rai

porary," she

es

m not h

said evenly. "You

led her eyes a

ble floors, muted art, controlled lighting.

s bea

co

approached from the hallway-s

le," sh

d. "Miss Rossi will

ked to Amara-not un

cour

cien continued. "Limit staff acces

s,

ency unset

routine

hit harder than t

turned

have p

what this

ightened

vacy here than any

sn't

t bothe

down the corridor. "I'll

d an escort,

s eyes

prot

hesi

nodde

i

g, large windows overlooking a private garden. Camille opened double doors

pped insi

ecessary," s

ity," Camille replied polite

osed softly

on

afé, the adrenaline drained en

ard the window

on-sensor lights

asn't

nment with be

ne buzz

eath s

wn nu

ulse

hesi

clined

message notific

ncrypted pre

est ti

whether to open it, a kn

ju

si?" Luci

the room a

it jacket removed, tie loosened slightl

ing you need to

omach

at

ed aside

t h

corridor, tension threadin

darker wood, large monitors b

od near th

he said

stepped

ow

onitors flic

s foo

-and-

atel

th left

this morning,

e was high, acr

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she wh

shook h

t o

e zoomed

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cars behi

ark

d darker than

roared i

there?"

es

tell me?" she sn

re escalating," h

tage ad

amp: 12

telie

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il

h

epped in

ce partiall

oached

the h

ood ra

break in?"

Matteo

didn't f

epped

ked

y at th

sm

otage

mach twiste

," she w

cien said

was bein

was being

t random i

delib

t testing me," s

s jaw t

N

hing grew

t about th

N

elt heavie

d slowly

what i

be

look at

oked

t reaction

ho

in

uth hi

t you des

es

the press

es

sty felt

y backward, gripping

I wasn't

ou weren'

yes f

s sema

id quietly.

spond, Matteo's tab

anced

ression

bt

imme

ir

tention sna

ha

e tablet toward

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lo

eath s

a pho

h

n to

de th

ross th

besid

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ny surve

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pounded

possible?"

Matteo said. "No vi

age sh

her

os

d mid-g

ing slightl

ate a

photo

s o

ugh the ca

faces

touc

ugh to imply

omach

cting a narrativ

Lucie

ulse

hy

solat

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she was conne

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more than

came s

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ne buzz

er me

the previe

s good beside you. I wo

sion b

stepped

ow

ed as she hande

the mess

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was w

that mean?"

answer i

handed her

calmly, "trace t

dy wor

turned

e accel

lse th

s that me

pped c

cl

e didn

quietly, "they're

m felt

re pro

flashed on

softly unde

aze snappe

ha

voice w

e relea

tor chan

aying a n

ng hea

sive Billionaire Lucien Vale - S

eft her in a

nsane," sh

ticle

t strateg

ulat

mous

imply secrecy. Rom

tightened

reed to thi

on darkened-not w

h f

wn," he sai

ing o

updated in

ts flo

hots sp

s too

orga

ossip," Lucie

agreed. "It's

o hard she could fe

me to you publi

es

hy

rned to h

orld believes you

w tigh

can us

crushed

thing gr

porary anymore,

eyes he

N

y broke thr

ens next?"

he coul

r in the roo

n

ic

went

the study di

ackup syste

re under h

're i

dn't look

ed dead

appeared on the

om a c

m a new

ve f

est wing

corr

edroo

os

il

ood ra

r feed," Matte

dropped into so

N

angle shi

one were h

ng c

age zo

door

stopped c

andle

sli

st

een wen

arms explode

en turne

with

th hes

ngle, terrify

outside," he

e alrea