Chapter 18 Private vs Public (Abroad)

Chapter 18: 18 Private vs Public (Abroad)

The Hôtel de Crillon carried its history without trying to prove it, its golden stone facade facing Place de la Concorde like it had always belonged there. It was Lacroix’s territory, a choice meant to project his own legacy and stability.

Charles walked through the gilded, public rooms as if he owned them, his stride unhurried, his expression a mask of polite disinterest. I followed two steps behind, my own face a neutral expression I didn’t have to think about anymore: I was the shadow, the observer, the silent threat.

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