The Bentley glided to a smooth halt in front of Le Jules Verne, the legendary restaurant nestled on the second level of the Eiffel Tower itself. Rafayel, with the effortless authority I was still getting used to, secured the most exclusive VVIP dining room a private space offering a breathtaking, unobstructed view of the Parisian cityscape, with the iron lattice of the tower itself framing the scene.

As we were seated, the entirety of Paris glittered below us, a silent, romantic witness to a date that was anything but simple.

A waiter presented our first course with a quiet flourish. "To begin, Messieurs-Dames, we have Foie Gras de Canard—a terrine...