[...who turned out to be Julian Vance.]
Elara's breath seemed to freeze in her throat. The holographic display on her retina showed the man's face in high resolution. Julian Vance. The sole heir to the Vance Industries business empire, and the only man in all of Metropolis whose power surpassed that of the entire combined board of the Sterling family.
In her past life, Julian had been an urban myth among the elite. He was known as a cold-blooded predator who never showed mercy in corporate acquisitions, an antisocial genius who controlled half the city's infrastructure from behind his desk. Elara had only ever seen him from a distance at high-society charity events. He was untouchable.
Yet now, that same man was sitting casually on the VIP balcony barely a dozen yards above Elara's head, holding a tablet that had just annihilated all her hopes with a single tap worth twenty-five million dollars.
"Twenty-five million dollars," the auctioneer's voice echoed throughout the Obsidian Lounge, shattering the silence that had been choking the room. "Does anyone wish to challenge Bidder 012's offer? No? Sold."
The imaginary gavel seemed to slam into Elara's chest. The giant screen flickered, confirming Julian Vance's absolute victory over Lot 7. Arthur Sterling's double ledger now officially belonged to that man.
Elara cut the video feed from her camera. The pain in her temple grew sharper, but the adrenaline flooding her veins dulled it. Her thoughts raced, cutting through her despair.
Why does Julian Vance want Arthur Sterling's data? Elara wondered. Arthur was only the chief operating officer of Sterling Corporation. Vance Industries operated in an entirely different league. Unless... the rumor from her past life was true. There had been whispers that Julian's father's death several years ago hadn't been caused by an ordinary heart attack, but by internal sabotage involving business rivals. If Arthur Sterling had played a part in it, then Julian hadn't bought the data chip to blackmail him, but to execute him.
"If he wants Arthur destroyed, then our goals are aligned," Elara murmured to herself. A thin, sharp, calculating smile slowly returned to her beautiful face behind the mesh veil. She might have lost the money war, but the game had just shifted from the cashier's table to the negotiating table.
"System," Elara ordered, sweeping her gaze across the main floor, now filled once again with the hum of conversation from the guests. "Map this building's structure. I need a secret route to the West VIP Balcony without passing through the main security checkpoint. Use the original architectural blueprints of the Opera House."
[Analyzing structural blueprints... One logistics elevator service route found in the rear left wing. Door access locked with high-level magnetic security. Route avoids 94% of active security cameras.]
"Guide me there."
Transparent blue guidelines instantly appeared across the marble floor in Elara's vision, guiding her as she slipped between crowds of masked billionaires. With elegant, unhurried steps, Elara moved toward the dark corridor in the left wing, avoiding the gazes of the servers and other guests.
She arrived before a knobless steel door concealed behind a heavy velvet curtain. Beside it was a magnetic-card scanner panel. Without wasting time, Elara removed her left glove, pressed her palm directly against the panel, and let the Absolute System work its magic. Microscopic electromagnetic waves radiated from its interface, penetrating the analog circuitry inside the wall.
Click.
The magnetic lock disengaged. Elara pushed open the steel door and stepped into the cramped service elevator, which smelled of machine lubricant. She pressed the button for the VIP floor.
As the elevator rose, Elara smoothed her black silk dress. She was preparing to step into a lion's den. Negotiating with Julian Vance was like playing chess in a minefield; one wrong move, and she wouldn't merely lose the data chip—Julian might destroy Vanguard Trust, which she had worked so hard to build, before sunrise.
The elevator doors opened. Elara stepped into a dim corridor with thick carpeting that swallowed the sound of her heels. At the end of the corridor stood a sturdy set of double mahogany doors leading to the West VIP Balcony.
Julian's private security guards appeared to be stationed in the outer lobby, unaware that an intruder could breach the service elevator from below. Elara stepped forward and placed her hand on the heavy brass doorknob.
"System, hack the mechanical lock."
[Internal circuit bypass successful. Door unlocked.]
Elara turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open.
The scent of fine whiskey and masculine sandalwood immediately assaulted her senses. The VIP balcony was vast, dominated by dark leather furniture and marble bookshelves. Through the one-way glass windows, the auction floor below was clearly visible.
Standing in the center of the room, facing the glass windows, was Julian Vance.
The man had removed his gray suit jacket, leaving only a black shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing muscular forearms lined with delicate veins. On the glass table beside him lay a small silver box containing the Lot 7 data chip he had just won.
Julian didn't turn around when the door closed behind Elara. Instead, he raised his whiskey glass and sipped the amber liquid with absolute calm.
"Obsidian Lounge's security system claims that the service elevator door is protected by magnetic encryption that can only be opened with a senior manager's access card." Julian's voice rolled out, heavy and deep, filled with an authority that needed no raised volume to intimidate. The man slowly turned, staring straight at Elara. "Yet you entered without triggering a single alarm. You must be Vanguard Trust's representative. Bidder 404."
Elara stood straight, crossing her arms before her chest with elegant poise. She wasn't surprised that Julian had noticed her presence; this man possessed an unnatural predator's instincts.
"A security system is only as good as the architect who built it, Mr. Vance," Elara replied, her voice calm and cold, betraying none of the intimidation she felt inside. "And there isn't an architect on earth who doesn't leave a weakness."
Julian's gray eyes narrowed, surveying Elara from the tips of her stilettos to the silk mesh veil covering her face. A flicker of intellectual interest gleamed behind his cold gaze.
"Very poetic." Julian slowly approached the glass table, his fingertips brushing the surface of the silver box containing the data chip. "You fought remarkably aggressively for an entity registered in the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands less than twenty-four hours ago. Fifteen point four million dollars. A fantastic figure for a shell company barely out of the womb."
Elara's breath caught slightly. Julian knew. This man hadn't merely won the auction; he had conducted a financial background check on his opponent within minutes of the bidding war's beginning.
"I didn't come here to discuss my company's age, Mr. Vance," Elara countered, stepping forward to close the distance, refusing to be dominated in that room. "I came for that data chip. My uncle—I mean, Arthur Sterling—is a problem for me. And considering you just threw away twenty-five million dollars for his ledger, I assume he's a problem for you too."
Julian stopped. A thin, highly dangerous smile carved itself into the corner of his mouth. He set his whiskey glass on the table, then walked toward Elara with nearly soundless steps, like a leopard moving through the night.
The intimidating aura radiating from him made the air around Elara feel increasingly thin. Julian stopped exactly one step in front of her. His towering height forced her to tilt her head slightly upward.
Julian lowered his head, his eyes, cold as volcanic ash, staring straight through Elara's mesh veil and locking onto the sea-blue eyes of the woman before him. And in a baritone that sent tremors through her bones, he whispered,