CHAPTER 99

COUNTESS ELENA'S POV

The wide, beautifully planted rooftop garden of the restored Williams Maritime Headquarters in Marseille gave a sweeping view of the dark blue Mediterranean Sea. Below the cliffside terrace, the busy deep-water harbor was full of activity: huge cargo ships, sleek commercial freighters, and private yachts moved in perfect, orderly lines through the shipping lanes, their automatic tracking systems working with flawless precision.

Tonight was the first gala for the Williams-De La Vega International Foundation, a multi-million-euro fund set up jointly by Sophia and Lucas to pay for maritime safety projects, build schools for orphans across Southern Europe, and provide legal help to people in need....