The Mirage stood gleaming above Sunset Boulevard, its tinted glass reflecting the neon skyline of Los Angeles. Known among Hollywood producers and West Coast elites, it wasn’t the kind of place ordinary people wandered into. Tonight, however, Chloe Bennett walked into the private floor of the restaurant with her assistant, Yvonne, and—uninvited—Ethan Cole.
The maître d’ bowed politely and stepped aside.
Inside the private dining suite, Lionel London—CEO of London Freight & Trading—was waiting. He rose from his seat the moment Chloe appeared, smoothing the front of his navy suit and plastering on a smile polished by decades of corporate deception.
“Ms. Bennett,” Lionel said warmly, pulling out the chair beside him. “Please, have a seat.”
Chloe adjusted her fitted designer dress pants an
