Inara walked down the hall, her heels clattering sharply against the marble floor. Her pace was steady, unhurried. Her secretary, Carter, followed closely behind.
At the end of the corridor, a man stood guard outside the office door.
Inara's eyes met Carter's. He stepped forward.
"We're here to meet Mr. Martin," he said calmly. "Ms. Inara has already spoken with him over the phone."
The man hesitated. "Mr. Martin is busy right now. He has strictly forbidden anyone from entering."
Behind the door, faint laughter could be heard. A woman's.
Inara's expression didn't change. But her gaze turned colder.
"If he has a girl inside, I wouldn't mind," she said flatly. "Go tell him it's important."
The man stiffened, bowed quickly, and rushed inside.
Moments later, he emerged and gestured nervously toward Carter.
"After you, Madame," Carter said, holding the door open.
Inara walked in.
A young woman hurried past her, eyes downcast. A faint smirk touched Inara's lips as she approached the large wooden desk.
"Oh my," Martin drawled, leaning back in his chair. "What did I do to deserve a visit from the great Ms. Inara?"
Inara placed her bag on the glass table and sat down across from him.
She motioned toward Carter. "Leave us."
Carter nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Martin sighed theatrically. "You're making me nervous. What's so urgent that you had to come at this hour?"
"Are you really going to play dumb with me?" Inara asked coolly. "I gave you one job. All you had to do was sign the contract with the Valeneders and ensure the Aurelian Hotel project went smoothly. Instead, you caused a scandal with their heir."
Martin scoffed. "It takes two hands to clap. Do you think I was the only one involved? She practically seduced me."
"Incredible," Inara said. "Everything would have gone smoothly if you'd just kept your impulses under control."
"You make me sound like a pervert."
"Aren't you?" Her tone didn't change. "Do you have to sleep with every woman you see?"
"Listen," Martin snapped, "I didn't even want her. She wasn't my type. She's the one who wanted to run away with me."
"Whatever story you're telling yourself," Inara said, standing. "You created the problem. Now you'll fix it. Do whatever you need to do—but make sure they sign that project."
"Come on," he groaned. "Go easy on me."
"I am going easy on you," she replied. "I didn't tell Father. You should be grateful."
"You should be on my side."
"I am on the company's side. If that ever aligns with yours, consider yourself lucky."
She picked up her bag.
"Fix it," she said firmly. "Apologize, pay compensation, disappear if you must. I don't care how. Just make sure the Valeneders sign."
"And if I can't?" he asked bitterly.
Inara paused at the door, not turning around.
"Then Father will handle it," she said. "And you know how merciful he is."
The color drained from Martin's face.
"This conversation is over."
"How am I supposed to—"
The door closed behind her.
From inside the office, Martin slammed his desk. "That bitch! She could've helped me. What kind of sister is she?"
"Half-sister," his secretary corrected him cheekly"
Martin leaned forward now, elbows on the desk, his earlier smugness cracking just slightly.
"She always does this," he said. " Always walks in like she own the room, like everyone else is an inconvenience."
Outside, Inara walked straight down the hall, Carter already at her side.
"So," he asked as they got into the car, "are we leaving him to deal with it?"
"Yes," Inara said calmly. "He needs to clean up his own mess if he ever wants to grow up."
"Fair enough."
Carter glanced at his tablet.
"Have we identified who voted against us in the committee?"
"Not yet," Carter replied. "Anonymous voting complicates things."
Her gaze drifted to the window.
"But I don't like mysteries."
"It's weird. The project was in everyone's favour. It doesn't make sense why they would suddenly want to delay it."
"People don't work alone here.So, it's not one member we are talking about."
"Do you think it was planned?"
"We will find out soon."
As the car pulled away from the building, the city lights reflected faintly against the tinted windows. Carter scrolled through his tablet, hesitating for a brief second.
"There's one more thing," he said carefully.
"An invitation came in this morning."
"From whom?"
Carter paused.
"The Hong-er's heir is holding a private banquet."
Inara's reflection stared back at her in the glass.
She smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
"It's an exclusive guest list. Which means she wanted you to be there."
"I mean, if she insists then I must comply."
The car disappeared into the night traffic.
Somewhere across the city, another move had already been placed on the board.
And Inara had just agreed to play.