Chapter 23 - The London Summit
The grand ballroom of the Savoy Hotel in London was a masterpiece of Edwardian elegance—gilded moldings, massive crystal chandeliers, and walls lined with historical oil paintings. But tonight, the air didn't smell of aristocratic complacency; it crackled with the electric tension of international finance, political strategy, and corporate power.
The occasion was the annual Global Infrastructure Summit, an elite gathering where the world's most influential developers, tech moguls, and sovereign fund managers negotiated deals that shaped continents.
When the double doors opened and Daniel and I stepped into the ballroom, the conversational hum in the room dropped noticeably.
I wore a breathtaking, floor-length midnight-blue velvet gown with an asymmetric neckline and a high slit that caught the light with every measured, deliberate step. My hair was styled in an immaculate, structured chignon, and my lips burned with that signature, defiant coat of blood-red lipstick. I didn't walk like a guest; I walked like an owner inspecting her property.
"Good evening, Mrs. Reyes," a cultivated British accent greeted us as we approached the main reception area. Sir Reginald Vance—a distant cousin of the disgraced American Vances, and the current chairman of London-European Logistics—stepped forward, offering a polite, slightly nervous bow of his head. "And Mr. Reyes. We weren't certain your schedule would permit attendance this evening."
I stopped, looking down at him with cool, impenetrable poise. Sir Reginald had spent the past month quietly attempting to court our investment division to bail out his failing cross-channel shipping lanes—shipping lanes that had once belonged to Marcus Thorne.
"Our schedule permits whatever we deem profitable, Sir Reginald," I replied, my voice smooth, chilling, and entirely devoid of warmth. "Though looking at your current balance sheet projections, I'm inclined to wonder if your portfolio warrants our attention at all."
Sir Reginald’s face flushed a faint pink, though he forced a diplomatic smile, knowing full well that a single word from me could tank his company's stock value before the stock market opened in Tokyo. "We are... restructuring, Mrs. Reyes. Streamlining our operations. Removing legacy inefficiencies."
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"A wise strategy," I said, tilting my head slightly. "Efficiency is the only currency that matters in a world without ghosts."
With a subtle nod, I dismissed him, walking past his group of stunned associates without sparing them a second glance. Daniel walked by my side, a silent, predatory shadow of absolute support, his hand resting lightly on the small of my back.
