Hotel War
The FIA hearing ended without a verdict, but the board’s distrust followed Sofia back to the hotel. Lucien had arranged rooms on a private floor because the penthouse in Monaco was surrounded by reporters, yet Sofia discovered that even luxury could feel like a cage when every door required security clearance. She confronted him about the arrangement, saying she had agreed to forced proximity because of the contract, not because she wanted her movements controlled. Lucien listened without interrupting, then admitted he had made the decision out of fear after the threat in Mauritius.
Sofia told him fear was not a justification for taking choices away from her. Lucien apologized and ordered security to give her unrestricted access to all areas of the hotel, while promising that a
