The ballroom of the Meridian Crown Hotel glittered like a jewel cut too sharply to be trusted.

Crystal chandeliers rained light over silk gowns and tailored suits, each reflection hiding a calculation, each smile carefully measured. Music flowed softly, elegant enough to mask whispered threats and fragile alliances. Tonight’s international corporate gala was billed as a celebration of global cooperation—but everyone who mattered knew it was a battlefield dressed in gold.

Alyssa stepped inside with her spine straight and her expression serene.

She wore a midnight-blue gown, deceptively simple, the kind that didn’t demand attention but commanded it. Her hair was swept back, exposing her neck—bare, vulnerable, deliberate. To the...