Chapter 6: The Uninvited Guest
The pounding against the door continued, vibrating through the floorboards of suite 1204. David scrambled backward, his briefcase slipping from his lap and scattering a few loose pages across the carpet. "Hide that drive," he hissed, pointing frantically at the black flash drive resting on the desk. "If she searches the room, she'll tear the place apart to find it."
Saffron didn't move. She picked up the flash drive with deliberate slowness, slipping it into the hidden pocket of her black wrap dress. Then she walked steadily toward the door, ignoring David's terrified gestures. She unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open.
Mei-Ling stood in the hallway, flanked by two burly hotel security guards in dark suits. Her dark blue gown seemed to absorb the dim corridor lighting, and her updo remained entirely unblemished, as if the shouting match downstairs had never happened. Her expression was a mask of cold, calculated fury.
"Step aside, Saffron," Mei-Ling said, her voice dropping into a dangerous register. She didn't wait for permission; she pushed past Saffron with an assertive shove of her shoulder, striding directly into the living area of the suite. The two security guards hovered in the doorway, blocking the exit.
Mei-Ling’s eyes swept over the room, instantly landing on David, who was kneeling on the floor gathering his scattered papers with trembling fingers. A sharp, mocking smile touched the corner of Mei-Ling’s lips.
"Well, well. Look at this," Mei-Ling murmured, walking slowly toward the coffee table. She picked up one of the financial reports, glancing at the red confidential labels before letting it drop back onto the glass with a soft flutter. "A secret midnight meeting in a hotel room. Are you two plotting your resignations, or are you just comparing notes on how to betray the people who paid for your education?"
"We aren't plotting anything, Mei-Ling," Saffron said, closing the door behind the guards and standing with her back against it. Her voice remained remarkably calm, a stark contrast to David's frantic movements. "We're reviewing the audit documents that you apparently forgot to share with the rest of the board."
Mei-Ling turned sharply, her pearl earrings catching the light as she glared at Saffron. "You have no right to those documents, Saffron. They are proprietary foundation property. Hand over whatever you brought up here, or I will have security escort you out of this hotel in handcuffs for corporate espionage and theft."
"You can call whoever you want, Mei," Saffron replied, taking a slow step forward. "Security, the police, even Victor. But it won't change the fact that the federal prosecutor already has copies of every single file on that table."
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Mei-Ling flinched. For a fraction of a second, the mask slipped, revealing a flash of genuine panic in her eyes before her face hardened back into a defensive sneer. "You're bluffing. You don't have the clearance to talk to federal authorities on behalf of the foundation."
"I don't need clearance to report a crime," Saffron said steadily. "And embezzlement isn't protected by a non-disclosure agreement."
