A sleek, understated luxury van pulled up in front of The Azure Pce Hotel.


    The banquet was set on the fifty-eighth floor, and as Victoria and Ailie entered the ballroom, the room''s lively conversation instantly died down. Every man in the room seemed to turn and stare, their eyes drawn almost maically—not to the pair, but to Victoria alone.


    Across the room, Curtis was deep in conversation with a group of executives, lounging on a ck leather sofa. Sensing the sudden hush, he nced over-and the moment he saw Victoria, he couldn''t help but rise to his feet.


    Behind him, the city sprawled in a dazzling disy of lights, neon weaving through the night in a seductive haze. The backdrop made Curtis, dressed in a tailored suit, look even more distinguished, a man entirely at ease in his element.


    Ailie caught the look in her boss''s eyes-equal parts admiration and intrigue. Without a word, she slipped away, content to fade into the background.


    "Victoria." Curtis walked over, stopping at her side. Together, they looked every bit the perfect pair.


    "I hope I''m notte?" he asked, his voice warm.


    Night had only just fallen, a faint streak of light lingering on the horizon outside. The driver had timed their arrival precisely; there was no way they could bete.


    "Not at all. You''re right on time," Victoria replied.


    Curtis offered his hand, his eyes alight with anticipation. Victoria hesitated, just for a moment, then ced her hand in his.


    The men Curtis had just been chatting with all rose to their feet, unable to hide their appreciation for Victoria''s beauty.


    "Mr. Garcia, who''s your stunningpanion?" one of them asked.


    Curtis smiled. "This is Victoria, my assistant. She oversees all the departments at Quantum Core Technologies."


    His introduction carried far more weight than the simple title of "assistant" suggested, but the men were clearly more interested in gossip than in business, choosing to focus on what they wanted to hear.


    "Pleasure to meet you," they chimed in, grinning knowingly.


    Curtis introduced Victoria to each of them in turn. She might not have met these men before, but she recognized their names-she''d heard them often enough from McNeil.


    Curtis wasn''t just another wealthy heir; as CEO of Quantum Core Technologies, he was both a


    ???


    second-generation sess and a self-made trailzer. He knew everyone worth knowing, but his closest circle was made up of industry leaders and innovators.


    They all looked young, but Victoria knew just how much influence these men wielded in the business world.


    Standing beside Curtis, Victoria


    didn''t put her intelligence or abilities on disy. Even though she could have named each man''s industry. and specialty without missing & beat, she chose to listen, not speak. When someone made a point, she nodded along politely, even if it was exaggerated or untrue. She was smart enough never to draw attention to herself by correcting them.


    After spending more than half an hour by Curtis''s side, the impression she left was that of a beautiful "trophy"—an elegant woman on his arm.


    The men spected that Curtis, after being single for so long, had finally settled for someone simply because of her looks-a theory they found amusing.


    Gradually, their curiosity faded. The conversation loosened up, and they turned back to talking business with Curtis. But while they dismissed her as decoration, Victoria quietly memorized every useful detail she overheard.


    "Mr. Garcia, I think I''ll go sit down for a bit. I need to rest my feet," Victoria said after making the rounds, her heels starting to pinch.


    Curtis assumed she was bored by the conversation-after all, it was just business and future ns: a man''s world, dry and tedious to most outsiders.


    "Of course. I''lle find you in a bit," he said, and kindly asked a server to show her to the sofa lounge at the side of the ballroom.


    Ailie, who''d been observing Curtis and Victoria from a distance, was now certain there was something going on between the two. In four years at thepany, she''d never seen Mr. Garcia-who usually had


    the reputation of a devil-show such


    kindness to anyone. Victoria, it seemed, was the only exception.