Chapter 13
The address on the note was unmistakable. The Zenith Hotel lounge was one of the most exclusive, private watering holes in the city—a playground for high-society elites, wealthy investors, and people like Julianne Parker who operated in circles where power was wielded behind velvet ropes and veiled threats.
Elena stared at the card for a long moment. Every instinct in her body screamed to ignore the summons, to let Julianne stew in her own bitter irrelevance while she focused on her promising future at Vance Development. Yet, a deeper sense of self-respect urged her forward. She refused to be intimidated, and she refused to let someone else dictate the terms of her professional survival from the shadows.
At eight o’clock that evening, Elena stepped through the revolving mahogany doors of the Zenith Hotel. The lounge was bathed in amber mood lighting, soft jazz playing quietly in the background over the clinking of crystal glasses. Patrons sat in plush velvet booths, draped in designer clothes and expensive jewelry.
Sitting alone in a corner booth near the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering skyline was Julianne Parker. She wore a striking emerald-green silk dress that contrasted sharply with her blonde hair, swirling a glass of vintage champagne between her manicured fingers.
Elena walked across the plush carpet with steady, unhurried steps. She did not wear her maid’s uniform, nor her corporate pantsuit; she wore a simple, elegant black dress that commanded its own understated dignity. She reached Julianne’s booth and slid uninvited into the opposite seat, meeting the socialite’s surprised gaze with absolute calm.
“You actually came,” Julianne murmured, a thin, ironic smile crossing her lips. She set her champagne glass down on the table. “I suppose working-class girls love trespassing in places they don't belong.”
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“I don't trespass, Julianne. I walk through doors that are open to me,” Elena replied smoothly, her voice calm and completely devoid of fear. “You asked for a meeting. Let’s not waste time playing games. What do you want?”
Julianne leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as the mask of polite hospitality melted away entirely. “I want you out of Vance Development. And I want you away from Arthur Vance.”
