Elena barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Patrick Hartwell’s piercing stare, heard his warnings about Vanessa Laurent, and imagined the hundreds of wealthy guests who would be attending the gala. By sunrise, she gave up on sleep entirely and spent the rest of the morning preparing herself. Alexander’s assistant had sent several documents, including information about the gala and a detailed list of important guests who would be present. Elena studied every page carefully. CEOs, investors, politicians, media personalities, and some of the most influential people in the city would be attending. Somewhere near the top of the list was Vanessa Laurent’s name. Seeing it again made Elena’s stomach twist.
She spent hours researching everyone she could. The more she lea
