WHAT SHE ALMOST SAW Back inside, Laura reached the edge of the ballroom floor just as Manuel finished greeting a cluster of board members.Just then, their eyes met in the crowd and the connection snapped immediately.Laura looked away first and Manuel’s jaw tightened slightly.Soon, Lisa returned like she never left, wearing a smile as though she was forced to.She adjusted her champagne-colored dress as she maneuvered through clusters of investors and board affiliates. Her smile remained perfectly placed as she walked.Though, she was a bit irritated by what she couldn't really tell. She had been searching for Manuel for nearly twenty minutes.Three separate investors had asked for introductions. Two potential partners from Singapore had specifically requested a private conversation with him and she wanted to show off even though she spoke to Manuel for a long time, she knew Manuel won't ditch his image over a mere facade from the past.Even her mother had subtly nudged her earlier

THE CRACKS BENEATH The night grew deeper and the music kept getting intense.Mrs. Stone stood near the balcony rail, her posture straight. From the outside, she looked composed, a woman entirely in control of her place.Inside her chest, she felt uneasy. She had been watching Manuel from a distance and saw that he was still wearing his usual smile and that turned her stomach. She had been looking for Lisa for a while, but she hasn't seen her. Mira and Lisa had gone a bit far inside the ball room, away from her eyes.Her fingers rested lightly against her clutch purse. She hadn’t realized she had been rubbing circles across it until she stopped and noticed that she was.Tommy’s voice replayed in her head.“Everything is in place. I'm proceeding with the public exposure.”The words echoed again as she smiled boldly to herself, like someone who had completed a mission. She inhal

SILENCES THAT SAY TOO MUCH Laura rushed and opened the car door for Manuel.“Drive.” Manuel didn’t raise his voice when he said it, but the command landed heavy inside the quiet luxury car the moment he slid into the back seat as Manuel sat beside him.The driver nodded immediately and pulled away from the Grand Aurelius entrance, the gala lights fading behind them as the vehicle drove off.For a few seconds, neither Manuel nor Laura spoke as the car moved. Laura sat upright, her clutch resting carefully on her lap, her fingers folded tightly around it. Her pulse hadn’t fully slowed since the hallway… since the kiss, since the way he had looked at her like nothing else existed.She swallowed quietly and kept her gaze forward, not wanting to look at Manuel.Beside her, Manuel loosened his shoulders slightly and leaned back against the seat. He exhaled slowly, like he was about to say something, but he didn't. Suddenly, he reached up and began loosening his tie and Laura’s breath cau

THE STOLEN DATA There was silence between them as Manuel went through the folder, though he was still glances at her, but she couldn't see him because she was facing the floor. Then, she took her tablet and started scrolling through it again. She kept her gaze locked on her tablet.Manuel opened another folder, but he wasn’t reading it. He was watching her instead.Her composure looked perfect from afar, but he could see the tension hidden beneath it, the way she was tapping her tablets so fast.Beep! Beep!Manuel glanced toward his phone resting beside his coffee cup, as the caller ID flashed across the screen.Christopher.Manuel exhaled slowly and picked it up. “Christopher,” he answered, his voice steady.Laura’s fingers paused mid-scroll, to listen to what he was saying, but she didn't make it too obvious.Christopher didn’t bother greeting. His voice came low and urgent, like he had already repeated the same thing to himself several times before calling.“Boss, you have to lis

IN HIS STUDY  The meeting ended sooner than expected with the board satisfied with Manuel’s responses, except for those who were bent on playing dirty. Laura stepped out first, a bit exhausted by the whole planning process and discussions. She had requested to go home early and Manuel had granted it, a bit suspicious. “Are you planning to stay late again tonight, ma’am?” The security guard’s voice followed Laura as she stepped out of the Nightingale headquarters building, her coat folded neatly over her arm and two thick file folders pressed against her chest. Laura paused near the glass doors and turned slightly.  “Yes,” she replied. “I’ll be working from the mansion tonight.” The guard nodded, stepping aside respectfully as Martin