The hotel room lights were dim. The curtains were tightly closed, leaving only a yellowish glow that made the atmosphere feel stifling. Claudia stood near the vanity table, staring at her own reflection in the mirror. Her face looked calm, but her eyes were cold and calculating.

There was a soft knock on the door.

Claudia did not answer immediately. She took a breath, then said briefly, “Come in.”

The door opened. The elderly man who had met her earlier that afternoon stepped inside hesitantly. His suit was neat, his tie slightly crooked, and his face looked tense.

“You did come,” Claudia said without turning around.

The man closed the...