Chapter 1 - The Warning in the Shadows
The skyline of Manhattan glittered like a diamond necklace thrown across the dark, but Alexander Sterling’s eyes were locked on the terrified twelve-year-old girl being dragged away by his private security.
Just seconds ago, the filthy, trembling street kid had burst through the service doors of the ultra-exclusive fifty-second-floor restaurant, dodging waiters and maître d’s. She had locked her piercing blue eyes onto Alexander and pointed a shaking finger at the two silver-covered desserts sitting on his table.
"Don't eat that cake," the girl had hissed, her voice frantic. "She put something in it. I heard them in the kitchen... switch the plates when she isn't looking!"
Before Alexander could process the words, a massive security guard had clamped a hand over the girl’s mouth and hauled her backward through the velvet curtains.
Now, the billionaire sat in absolute silence in his private alcove. He was forty-five, a man who had built a global real estate empire by trusting his gut. And right now, his gut was screaming.
His beautiful, elegant girlfriend of two years, Celeste, was in the restroom. She had specifically ordered this dessert—a chocolate soufflé with gold leaf. She had claimed it was his favorite.
But Alexander hated chocolate. He had never once told her it was his favorite.
The rational part of his brain told him the street girl was crazy. Why would Celeste, a woman who smiled perfectly for the cameras and wore the two-million-dollar diamonds he bought her, want him dead on their anniversary?
But Alexander hadn't survived the cutthroat business world by ignoring red flags. He stared at the two identical silver cloches.
With a swift, silent movement, Alexander reached across the white linen tablecloth. He took the dessert placed in front of his seat and swapped it with Celeste's.
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A moment later, the click of expensive heels echoed against the marble floor. Celeste returned, her auburn hair perfectly swept, her red lips curved into a dazzling, practiced smile.
👉 What will happen when the elegant woman takes the first bite of her own deadly trap?
