Chapter 10: The Dinner of Deceit
Chapter 10: The Dinner of Deceit
The crystal chandeliers of the Grand Meridian Hotel cast a warm, opulent glow over the private dining room. Soft jazz drifted from the speakers, blending with the clinking of crystal champagne flutes. Seated at the mahogany table were four members of the corporate board, led by Arthur Pendelton—a silver-haired, impeccably dressed man whose polite smile didn't quite reach his calculating eyes.
At the head of the table sat Evelyn. She wore a stunning midnight-blue silk dress that radiated effortless power, her expression serene and welcoming.
"Evelyn, my dear," Arthur purred, raising his glass in a toast. "I must commend you. Navigating the turbulence of the past month would have broken a lesser executive. Yet here you are, leading our quarterly profits to record highs. To your continued brilliance."
"Thank you, Arthur," Evelyn replied smoothly, touching her flute to his. "It takes a dedicated team. Especially those who remain loyal when the pressure mounts."
Arthur’s eyes flickered for a fraction of a second—a microscopic tell that did not escape Evelyn's notice. "Loyalty is the cornerstone of the Vance Conglomerate," he said smoothly. "Speaking of which... have you finalized the encryption keys for the new quantum data-vault project? The investors in Geneva are anxious to see the final architecture before the merger goes live."
The bait was set. Arthur had taken it with professional grace.
Evelyn maintained her warm smile, leaning back slightly in her chair. "As a matter of fact, Arthur, the master drive is sitting right in my briefcase. Every proprietary algorithm, every security backdoor, and every financial asset ledger is on that single encrypted flash drive."
Arthur’s pulse visibly quickened; the carotid artery in his neck pulsed beneath his tailored collar. "A secure asset indeed. Such vital information shouldn't be left in a standard briefcase, even yours. Perhaps I could safeguard it in the corporate vault overnight?"
"How thoughtful of you, Arthur," Evelyn said softly. She reached down, unlatched her leather briefcase, and pulled out a small, metallic silver flash drive, placing it gently on the white linen tablecloth right in front of him. "Take it. Examine it to your heart's content. Just make sure the right people... see what's on it."
Arthur’s hand hovered over the drive. A flicker of doubt crossed his face, quickly masked by greed. He quickly slipped the drive into his breast pocket, nodding appreciatively. "You can count on me, Evelyn. I always ensure things get... to the right destination."
"I know you do, Arthur," Evelyn whispered, her eyes locking onto his with a chilling intensity that finally made the older man shift uncomfortably in his seat. "Enjoy your dinner. It might be your last pleasant meal for a very long time."
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As Arthur excused himself early under the pretext of an urgent financial emergency, Evelyn signaled subtly to Marcus under the table.
On the rooftop above the hotel, Julian's tracking drone locked onto the unique radio frequency emitted by the decoy flash drive the moment Arthur’s car pulled away from the valet. The hunt was officially on.
