Chapter 2 · Who's the Prey

I arrived at The Peninsula Hotel at 7:30 PM.

After handing over my invitation, a waiter led me into the banquet hall.

Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, and the room buzzed with the scent of perfume and the rustle of silk. I grabbed a glass of champagne and slipped behind a pillar, scanning the crowd.

The doors opened, and Nathan walked in, Jasmine on his arm.

Jasmine was dressed in a white lace dress, wearing the diamond necklace Nathan had just given her.

They went to the main table and started chatting with a group of trust fund heirs.

One of them turned, saw me, and elbowed Nathan.

Nathan turned around, his eyes locking onto mine.

His face darkened instantly, and he strode over to me with Jasmine in tow.

"How did you get in here?" Nathan hissed, his voice low.

I took a sip of champagne. "I walked in through the front door."

Jasmine leaned against Nathan's arm, covering her mouth to laugh.

"Victoria, this isn't somewhere you belong," Jasmine sneered. "Are you here fishing for a sugar daddy with the breakup money Nate gave you?"

Nathan shot me a cold look, his eyes lingering on my red dress.

"Five million not enough for you? You have to come here and embarrass yourself?

"Security. Get this trash out of here." Nathan said.

The waiter, hearing his shout, rushed over.

I pulled out the gold-embossed invitation I'd spent 100 thousand dollars on and slapped it onto the round table.

"Name's on the list. I'm a legitimate guest."

Nathan's jaw clenched when he saw my name on the invitation.

"Victoria, you're so damn low," he spat.

"You'd pull any dirty trick for money."

I leaned in, the sharp scent of his cologne almost choking me.

"Nate, everyone here is after the same thing, money. Don't act like you're any better," I shot back.

Just then, the entrance to the banquet hall fell silent.

Everyone stepped back to the sides, making a path.

I looked in the same direction as the crowd.

Charles walked in, wearing a jet-black tailored suit.

He towered over everyone, his features icy and chiseled, with four men in black suits following close behind.

The temperature in the banquet hall seemed to drop instantly.

Nathan, who'd been acting all high and mighty just moments ago, straightened up, shook off Jasmine's hand, and rushed over.

"Uncle, you're here," Nathan said, his voice suddenly full of flattery.

Charles didn't even look at him, walking straight to the head of the table and taking his seat.

People crowded around him, raising their glasses.

I stayed put, champagne in hand.

Now wasn't the time. I waited for my chance.

Halfway through the dinner, Charles was clearly losing patience with all the sucking up.

He idly twirled an unlit cigar between his fingers while his bodyguards kept anyone from getting close.

I set my champagne glass on a tray, pulled a folded document out of my bag, and walked toward the main table.

A bodyguard instantly blocked my path. "Step back."

I kept moving, offering the document to him. "This is about the environmental loopholes in the South Bay Harbor Phase III Land Reclamation Project.

"This isn't something I got lucky with. I pieced it together from Nathan's drunk talk and the shredded papers in his trash can.

"The soil tests for the east section were forged. The real numbers are in my hands," I added.

Charles's fingers froze with the cigar.

He looked up, his cold eyes locking onto me right past the bodyguard.

I met his stare, unflinching.

"Let her come over," Charles said.

Charles spoke, and the bodyguard stepped aside.

I walked up to him, pulled out a chair, and sat down beside him.

Everyone drew in a sharp breath.

Nathan stood not far away, glaring at me, his jaw clenched in fury.

He tried to come at me, but one of Charles's bodyguards stopped him cold, holding him back by the shoulder.

I pushed the file toward Charles, and he flipped through a couple of pages.

"Where'd you get this info?" he asked.

"That's not important. What matters is, this could save you three billion in fines," I replied, looking him straight in the eye.

I looked him in the eye.

Charles closed the file. "What do you want?"

"Money. Lots of it. And the exclusive procurement rights for the South Bay Harbor Project," I said.

Chapter 2

I arrived at The Peninsula Hotel at 7:30 PM.

After handing over my invitation, a waiter led me into the banquet hall.

Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, and the room buzzed with the scent of perfume and the rustle of silk. I grabbed a glass of champagne and slipped behind a pillar, scanning the crowd.

The doors opened, and Nathan walked in, Jasmine on his arm.

Jasmine was dressed in a white lace dress, wearing the diamond necklace Nathan had just given her.

They went to the main table and started chatting with a group of trust fund heirs.

One of them turned, saw me, and elbowed Nathan.

Nathan turned around, his eyes locking onto mine.

His face darkened instantly, and he strode over to me with Jasmine in tow.

"How did you get in here?" Nathan hissed, his voice low.

I took a sip of champagne. "I walked in through the front door."

Jasmine leaned against Nathan's arm, covering her mouth to laugh.

"Victoria, this isn't somewhere you belong," Jasmine sneered. "Are you here fishing for a sugar daddy with the breakup money Nate gave you?"

Nathan shot me a cold look, his eyes lingering on my red dress.

"Five million not enough for you? You have to come here and embarrass yourself?

"Security. Get this trash out of here." Nathan said.

The waiter, hearing his shout, rushed over.

I pulled out the gold-embossed invitation I'd spent 100 thousand dollars on and slapped it onto the round table.

"Name's on the list. I'm a legitimate guest."

Nathan's jaw clenched when he saw my name on the invitation.

"Victoria, you're so damn low," he spat.

"You'd pull any dirty trick for money."

I leaned in, the sharp scent of his cologne almost choking me.

"Nate, everyone here is after the same thing, money. Don't act like you're any better," I shot back.

Just then, the entrance to the banquet hall fell silent.

Everyone stepped back to the sides, making a path.

I looked in the same direction as the crowd.

Charles walked in, wearing a jet-black tailored suit.

He towered over everyone, his features icy and chiseled, with four men in black suits following close behind.

The temperature in the banquet hall seemed to drop instantly.

Nathan, who'd been acting all high and mighty just moments ago, straightened up, shook off Jasmine's hand, and rushed over.

"Uncle, you're here," Nathan said, his voice suddenly full of flattery.

Charles didn't even look at him, walking straight to the head of the table and taking his seat.

People crowded around him, raising their glasses.

I stayed put, champagne in hand.

Now wasn't the time. I waited for my chance.

Halfway through the dinner, Charles was clearly losing patience with all the sucking up.

He idly twirled an unlit cigar between his fingers while his bodyguards kept anyone from getting close.

I set my champagne glass on a tray, pulled a folded document out of my bag, and walked toward the main table.

A bodyguard instantly blocked my path. "Step back."

I kept moving, offering the document to him. "This is about the environmental loopholes in the South Bay Harbor Phase III Land Reclamation Project.

"This isn't something I got lucky with. I pieced it together from Nathan's drunk talk and the shredded papers in his trash can.

"The soil tests for the east section were forged. The real numbers are in my hands," I added.

Charles's fingers froze with the cigar.

He looked up, his cold eyes locking onto me right past the bodyguard.

I met his stare, unflinching.

"Let her come over," Charles said.

Charles spoke, and the bodyguard stepped aside.

I walked up to him, pulled out a chair, and sat down beside him.

Everyone drew in a sharp breath.

Nathan stood not far away, glaring at me, his jaw clenched in fury.

He tried to come at me, but one of Charles's bodyguards stopped him cold, holding him back by the shoulder.

I pushed the file toward Charles, and he flipped through a couple of pages.

"Where'd you get this info?" he asked.

"That's not important. What matters is, this could save you three billion in fines," I replied, looking him straight in the eye.

I looked him in the eye.

Charles closed the file. "What do you want?"

"Money. Lots of it. And the exclusive procurement rights for the South Bay Harbor Project," I said.