On the twenty-second, the matter surrounding Grand Meridian not only failed to die down, it was pushed to an entirely new level. From early morning, local news sites had already begun posting photos of flower delivery trucks, lighting equipment, and streams of event staff moving in and out of the hotel. The highest floors were completely sealed off, the guest list remained undisclosed, and even Grand Meridian’s mid-level managers knew only that the following evening there would be a birthday party for the daughter of the mysterious guest who had booked out the entire place.
In the executive lounge at Ashbourne, several younger members of the family watched the news while talking among themselves. A young Alpha tossed his phone onto the table and laughed maliciously. “The whole city is wai
