The Velvet Lie

fog, as if the city itself sensed

still lit with the messa

uld've st

no new message. No call. No voice. Ju

r's death. Anonymous whispers. Conspiracy messages.

th

elt di

message didn't w

ed her to

finally getting clo

tailored navy coat hanging by the door. The lines

cla

host, she'd show t

-

embodying ambition. Sera stepped into the lobby and told the assistant at the re

horne is expecti

was

wasn't

-

ominic's office. The doors opened to quiet elegance: black floors, panoramic wind

his massive desk, looked up

dn't

s Ma

wly. "You look

rised. Th

ked forward, her heels sinking into the plush ru

pressed. Few people make it past the

eople

her-not in lust, not yet-but in calculation. As if

ave," he said eventual

directly. "Why

uth twitched-not a s

-

across from him. "To wha

e relaxed but coiled, like a snake basking i

an eyebr

and curated experiences for the elite. Discreet, elegant, high-end. I just received a proposal to expa

, fingers steepled under his c

rked. "I know

space. "You come into my office unannounced, pitch me an

oo, moving

ll me that doesn't e

or the first time, there was h

're

like

ke co

ace-closer than she sho

s moment, neith

nd him-a soft floral, de

ouch. Close enough to ki

steppe

t of w

f res

d, his voice low. "But onl

r pleasure?

l," he

-

top venue, private and filled with warm light and fire pits. Every guest w

and purposeful. He wore midnight ag

nd tension. Laughed o

that invisible thread t

d your family," he sai

orth mentionin

rang

oothly. "In all the

u don't strike me a

eve things I

k like someone who's

is gaze without bli

ent

a moment, the

ent," Dominic

-

ert was

weeter playing beneath the tablecloth, in stolen glances and

elevator. They stood in silence, the elec

nd touched her wrist-

what you're do

d. "I thought we we

r arm, lingering ju

" he murmured. "You walk like someone

aught. Just

f I am?" sh

close she could feel t

he said softly, "I've

levator do

let h

-

the message still sat o

uld've st

moment, then gr

she'd tried to avoid f

fa

andal, stock collapse, public suicide. But ton

ore the company "collapsed." Though the firm was never publicly linked to

e's cur

se T

ic's

est ti

just taken her

had burie

as falling for... was more