The morning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of *Lumière*, casting long, elegant shadows across the imported marble floors. Only twenty-four hours ago, this space had been Julian’s prized domain, a monument to his fragile ego. Now, it was utterly silent, stripped of his presence.

E

The flashbulbs erupted like a localized lightning storm, illuminating the grand facade of the St. Regis Hotel. The Grand Culinary Gala was the absolute pinnacle of the city's high society, an event where fortunes were made, Michelin stars were whispered into existence, and the elite gathered to feas

Julian’s jaw hung slack, his perfectly rehearsed arrogant sneer dissolving into an expression of sheer, unadulterated panic. He stared at the massive Head of Security, who remained bowed at a crisp ninety-degree angle before Elena.

"What did you just say?" Julian sputtered, his voice cracking loud