Chapter 33

The next day, Lily dressed with deliberate care. She wore a fitted black blazer over a silk blouse the color of deep wine, paired with tailored trousers. Her makeup was subtle, but her lipstick was bold—enough to say she was serious, not desperate. She carried only a slim portfolio and her phone. The chauffeur dropped Lily at the entrance of the grand venue, a glass-walled private club that seemed to hover above the city lights. She had expected a quiet meeting in a corporate office or perhaps an upscale restaurant—not this. As she stepped out, the sound of music and the hum of mingled laughter reached her before the doors even opened. The valet greeted her with a polite bow and opened the heavy glass door. Inside, the space glowed with warm amber lights and polished marble floors. Crystal chandeliers swayed gently overhead, scattering light across the champagne glasses clinking in guests’ hands. Her first impression was confusion. This didn’t look like a place for business negotiation