After the conference, Antonio was guided by two members of the protocol team who had been assigned to him. “Sir, this way please,” one of them said, extending a hand toward a corridor lined with glowing chandeliers.Antonio followed silently. They led him into an elegant suite reserved only for the most honored guests of the evening. When the door opened, Antonio was stunned by what he saw.The room was lavishly decorated with velvet curtains in deep maroon, golden chandeliers cascading light over intricately carved furniture, and a long dining table covered with a spread of foods that looked as though they had been plucked from every corner of the globe.It was more than a dinner. It was a feast.Antonio had dined at fine restaurants before, but nothing compared to what lay before him here: plates of steaming roasted lamb seasoned with herbs, bowls of seafood glistening in cream sauce, towers of exotic fruits cut into perfect shapes, trays of pastries dusted with sugar and glazed

Antonio’s breath caught in his throat. He turned sharply and his eyes fell on the last person he expected to see standing there.Elaine.She stood frozen in the corridor, full of disbelief and disgust. Her eyes darted from Antonio’s face to Florence’s still-hovering figure, then back again. Elaine’s lips parted, trembling slightly before her words burst forth like venom.“So this is it?” she said, her voice laced with scorn. “So this is what you wanted, Antonio? Is this why you divorced me—to be free to flirt with any woman who crosses your path?”Antonio stepped forward with his hand half-extended toward her, but Elaine recoiled as though his very presence was contamination.“You disgust me!” she yelled, shaking her head in disbelief. “I stood there and watched her lips pressed against yours. Do you think I’m blind? Do you think I don’t know what I saw?”“Elaine, the last time I checked, we’re divorced,” Antonio said evenly.Elaine let out a sharp, bitter laugh that echoed thro

Antonio retired to his suite late that night, utterly drained from the whirlwind of events. His talk on medical innovation had impressed the audience and earned him praise from important people and the following morning, he would be meeting the president again—this time in a smaller, private meeting to talk about healthcare reform.The suite, prepared by the conveners of the conference, was magnificent. Soft golden lighting glowed from the walls, illuminating the deep burgundy curtains that framed the tall windows. A massive king-sized bed dominated the center of the room, dressed in silk sheets that shimmered under the light. On the side table was a basket of fruits and fine wine.Antonio loosened his tie, dropped onto the edge of the bed, and allowed himself to exhale. As he lay on the bed, his eyes grew heavy and he soon fell asleep.Meanwhile, Florence had recieved the exact room number Antonio would be staying in. The person she called earlier had sent details of the room.F

Antonio closed the suite door with a force that made the framed print on the wall shiver. The click of the latch sounded too loud in the quiet room.The night had already been a grind of obligation and exhaustion and her clumsy obsession was the last thing he needed. He reached for his phone. It vibrated in his hand like a trapped insect.He answered on the first ring.“Antonio,” Cynthia’s voice rushed at him through the line, small and frayed. “Please—please listen. I've been... kidnapped. They say—if you don’t bring Matilda to them, they’ll—”The rest of the sentence was torn apart by a sob. Behind her, Antonio heard the echo of rough laughter, the scrape of a hand on a chair, and a voice swearing. Cynthia’s breathing hitched and slipped; it was thin, as if she’d been crying for too long.“Cynthia,” he said, in a steady and cold tone. He tamped down the spike of panic that tried to rise in his chest — panic was useless. “Where are you? Who’s with you? Talk to me.”She inhaled

The man obeyed without question. At the leader’s bark he lurched forward with his boots thudding on the rotten boards as he vanished into the inner room.Seeing the man move to carry out his leader’s instruction, Antonio moved like a shadow. The moment the door opened for the man to enter, Antonio slipped in between him and the doorway.With one hard shove, he knocked the man aside, sending him crashing into the broken chairs.The other kidnappers barely had time to react before Antonio was already inside.Cynthia’s face was a pale oval in the dim light with her eyes wide with a terror that spooled into relief when she recognized him. The warehouse reeked of oil and old cigarette smoke and the air hummed with the rustle of weapons being raised.“You’ll regret this,” the leader hissed from the doorway.Within seconds, two men lunged.One of them fired with the gun spitting flame and lead but Antonio snapped sideways with the bullet tearing a hole through the plaster where he’d been a