"I'm not calling a cab," Eleanor said. Her voice was different, too. It was no longer soft and accommodating. It was cold, precise, and carried the weight of absolute authority. The low, throbbing hum of a massive engine cut through the ambient noise of the city street.
Through the evening traffic, a vehicle approached. It was not a cab. It was an extended-wheelbase, custom-armored Rolls-Royce Phantom, painted in a shade of black so deep it seemed to absorb the light around it. It moved like a shark through water, aggressive and silent, slipping through the yellow lights and pulling straight into the bus lane, ignoring all traffic laws.
This one was different. Longer. Darker. More expensive than anything on the street.
It stopped smoothly beside them, the tires whispering against the damp asphalt. The sheer size and imposing nature of the car caused the gathering crowd to quiet down immediately. Even Miriam stopped mid-rant, her mouth slightly open as she stared at the monolithic vehicle.
The doors opened.
Two sharply dressed men stepped out first. They wore dark, tailored suits and earpieces, their eyes hidden behind dark glasses despite the evening hour. They moved with predatory grace, instantly scanning the surroundings, positioning themselves to secure a perimeter around the car.
Then, an older man in a bespoke charcoal three-piece suit followed. He had silver hair at his temples and carried a silver-handled umbrella. His presence alone commanded silence. He didn't look at the crowd, nor at Miriam, nor at Julian.
The crowd stepped back instinctively, giving the imposing men a wide berth. The atmosphere on the street had shifted from a petty family drama to something dangerous and incredibly powerful.
Eleanor walked toward him.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Sterling,” she said casually.
The older man bowed, a deep, formal bend of the waist, nodding respectfully. “Miss Vance, everything is ready. The board is waiting for your final approval on the quarter's acquisitions.”
Julian’s face went pale. He stumbled back half a step, looking from the older man to the armored car, and finally to the woman he thought he knew.