The sky over Wall Street was a heavy, depressing gray. Inside the top floor of the Santiago Corporation headquarters, the atmosphere was just as suffocating.
Ingram sat behind a massive desk made of solid black obsidian. His face was hard. He was listening to a group of senior executives sweat through a presentation about a European merger.
Palmer walked into the room. His footsteps made no sound on the carpet. He walked up to the desk and placed a highly encrypted tablet next to Ingram's hand.
Palmer leaned down. He whispered that the security team following Miss Evelena had just transmitted live footage from the mall.
Ingram raised his right hand. He did not say a word, but the executive who was speaking stopped mid-sentence. The entire room fell completely silent. No one dared to breathe.
Ingram tapped the screen. The video from the luxury boutique started playing.
He saw Evelena on the screen. Her new short hair made her look sharp. Her eyes were focused and deadly.
When Ingram saw Felicia raise her hand to slap Evelena, his blood ran cold. His eyes darkened into a violent, murderous glare. His thumb pressed hard against the edge of the tablet.
But then, the video showed Evelena catching the wrist. It showed her twisting it. It showed her slamming the black card onto the glass counter.
The murderous look in Ingram's eyes vanished. A wave of pure, intense satisfaction washed over him.
He thought she was a broken bird. He was wrong. She was a predator learning how to use her claws.
The corner of Ingram's mouth twitched. Then, it pulled up into a full, dark smile. A low chuckle escaped his throat.
The executives standing in the room felt the hair on their arms stand up. They had worked for him for years. They had never seen the devil smile. It was terrifying.
Ingram locked the tablet. He waved his hand dismissively. He told the executives to get out and fix their garbage presentation.
The men scrambled out of the room. Ingram looked at Palmer. He ordered him to find out everything about the gala Felicia mentioned in the video.
Palmer tapped his phone. Three minutes later, he spoke. He said it was a high-society charity auction happening next week. Cathi and her family were on the guest list.
Ingram let out a cold breath. He told Palmer to call the organizers. He told him to use the Santiago name to secure the highest-level VIP invitation for the event.
Miles away, Evelena sat in a quiet corner of a cafe. She stared at a black coffee.
Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Orlaith. Orlaith asked if she was really planning to go to the charity gala next week.
Evelena typed back immediately. She said yes. That charity was her grandfather's legacy. She was not going to let Cathi parade around acting like she owned it.
Suddenly, the loud screech of heavy tires echoed outside the cafe. Three massive, black, bulletproof Maybachs pulled up to the curb, completely blocking traffic.
The people inside the cafe stopped talking. They stared out the window at the ridiculous display of wealth and power.
Four men in dark suits stepped out of the cars. They walked into the cafe and walked straight to Evelena's table.
The lead guard bowed his head slightly. He spoke loudly enough for the whole room to hear. He said, "Miss, the boss sent us to pick you up."
Evelena blinked. Her heart skipped a beat. She knew Ingram sent them. She felt the heavy stares of everyone in the cafe burning into her back.
She did not argue. She stood up smoothly, grabbed her bag, and walked out the door surrounded by the massive men.
She climbed into the back of the middle Maybach. The door shut heavily, blocking out the noise of the city. The car smelled like cedarwood and cold air. It smelled exactly like Ingram.
Palmer was sitting in the front passenger seat. He turned around and handed her a square velvet box.
Evelena took the box. She opened the lid. Inside sat a breathtaking pink diamond necklace. The stones caught the light, sparkling with a blinding intensity.
Palmer smiled politely. He repeated Ingram's exact words. "The boss says if you are going to war, you need to wear your armor."
Evelena stared at the diamonds. A strange, heavy feeling settled in her chest. Her pulse hammered in her throat. For the first time in her life, she felt a massive wall of protection standing right behind her.
She snapped the box shut. She looked out the tinted window at the passing buildings. Her jaw set in a hard line.
She was not fighting alone anymore.
The convoy sped through the streets, heading back to the penthouse. A storm was coming to the upper-class society of New York.
