The next morning arrived with the relentless force of a ticking clock. True to my word, I was standing in the marble lobby of the hotel at exactly seven-thirty, the heavy leather folder of client profiles tucked securely under my arm. My feet were already throbbing in my heels, and my heart was performing a nervous, hyperactive rhythm against my ribs, but my mind was entirely focused. This was the day. The primary alignment meetings with the New York consortium were scheduled to begin in less than an hour, and there was absolutely no room for error.
When Mason stepped out of the elevator, he looked like the embodiment of corporate power. His charcoal suit was tailored to perfection, his tie was immaculate, and the hollow exhaustion from the night before had been completely locked away beh
