Caleb clicked another page.
"He's now a senior adviser to Cross Capital."
Amara leaned closer.
Robert Hale.
She remembered him visiting their home in Beijing. He had always brought expensive chocolates for the children and praised Daniel's extraordinary ability to navigate linguistic nuance.
After the scandal, Hale stopped calling.
Their father never mentioned him again.
"Look at this," Caleb said.
He opened a corporate directory.
Hale's biography listed him as executive vice president for international strategic partnerships.
He had been promoted twice since Daniel Bennett's dismissal.
"Interesting timing," Caleb murmured.
Amara stared at the screen.
"Very."
Her phone rang again.
Unknown number.
She hesitated before answering.
"Amara Bennett speaking."
"Miss Bennett, my name is Grace Chen. I'm calling on behalf of Madam Lin Meiyu."
Amara sat straighter.
"Good morning."
"Madam Lin would like to meet with you privately. Would you be available this afternoon?"
"May I ask why?"
"She has concerns about what happened last night."
"So do I."
Grace paused.
"She's aware that your employment may have been affected."
Amara glanced at Caleb.
"How?"
"Madam Lin contacted the hotel this morning."
"And?"
"She was informed that you no longer work there."
Amara exhaled.
"I was fired about ten minutes ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thank you."
"Madam Lin would still very much like to speak with you."
Amara considered the invitation.
Every instinct told her to be cautious.
Yet Madam Lin had known her father. More importantly, she had been the first person in the dining room to challenge Nathaniel's behavior.
"I'll meet her," Amara said.
Grace supplied the address of a private conference suite in Midtown.
Before ending the call, she added, "Miss Bennett, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Madam Lin asked me to tell you that you should not travel alone if you feel unsafe."
Amara's fingers tightened around the phone.
"Did she say why?"
"She didn't explain."
The line disconnected.
Caleb looked worried.
"What was that?"
"Madam Lin wants to meet."
"Are you going?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm coming."
"Caleb—"
"I'm serious."
Amara studied her younger brother.
At twenty-two, Caleb had inherited their father's curiosity and their mother's stubbornness. He was tall, athletic, and usually optimistic enough to irritate her before breakfast.
Now he looked genuinely frightened.
"Fine," she said. "You can come with me."
He nodded.
"Good."
"But you stay in the lobby."
"Not a chance."
"Caleb."
"Fine. The lobby."
He paused.
"Unless somebody starts acting suspicious."
Amara shook her head.
"That describes half the people in Midtown."
He smiled, and for a brief moment the apartment felt normal again.
That feeling lasted until 10:34 a.m.
A courier arrived carrying a thick envelope.
The return address belonged to a law firm representing Nathaniel Cross.
Inside was a formal settlement proposal.
The document offered Amara Bennett two hundred fifty thousand dollars in exchange for signing a comprehensive confidentiality agreement.
She would be required to refrain from discussing the previous evening, including the disputed translation, the $100,000 wager, and any statements made by Nathaniel or his representatives.
The agreement also contained a clause requiring her to surrender copies of any confidential business documents in her possession.
Amara read it twice.
Then she found a more troubling provision.
By signing, she would affirm that any concerns regarding the translation discrepancies were the product of misunderstanding rather than intentional misconduct.
She pushed the papers away.
Caleb read the paragraph over her shoulder.
"That's ridiculous."
"They want me to say I was wrong."
"After their own executives confirmed you were right."
Amara picked up the accompanying letter.
The offer would expire at five o'clock that afternoon.
"Why the rush?" Caleb asked.
"Because they're afraid I'll talk to Madam Lin."
He stared at her.
"Then we definitely shouldn't sign."
Amara reached for her phone.
She photographed the documents and sent copies to a new secure folder.
Then she wrote a simple reply.
I decline the proposed agreement. Please direct further communication through legal counsel once appointed.
She had not yet hired an attorney.
But she intended to.
Across Manhattan, in a private office overlooking the Hudson River, Nathaniel Cross was having a much less pleasant morning.
His attorney stood across the desk.
"She rejected it."
Nathaniel slowly lowered his coffee.
"Already?"
"Her response arrived three minutes ago."
"Increase the offer."
Julian Mercer shook his head.
"That's not the problem."
"Everything has a price."
"Not this."
Nathaniel's expression hardened.
Julian placed a document on the desk.
"Your Chinese partners have suspended negotiations."
Nathaniel stared at him.
"For how long?"
"Indefinitely."
"Over a translation error?"
"They've asked for an independent review."
"Of the language?"
"Of the entire transaction."
Nathaniel rose from his chair.
"That agreement represents two billion dollars in future business."
"I know."
"Then fix it."
Julian remained silent.
Nathaniel turned sharply.
"Do you understand me?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"But there's something else."
Julian opened another folder.
"Lin Global Holdings has requested records related to the original Eastbridge project."
Nathaniel froze.
For the first time that morning, genuine fear crossed his face.
"Who authorized that request?"
"Madam Lin."
"Why?"
Julian hesitated.
"Because of Daniel Bennett."
Nathaniel stared at the attorney.
The name seemed to drain the warmth from the office.
After a long silence, he whispered, "That's impossible."
Julian waited.
Nathaniel walked toward the window.
"Daniel Bennett is dead."
"His daughter isn't."
Neither man spoke.
Then Nathaniel reached for his private telephone.
"Get Robert Hale in here."
Madam Lin received Amara in a conference room on the thirty-second floor of a quiet Midtown office building.
There were no photographers, no reporters, and no crowd of wealthy businessmen waiting to be entertained.
Only Madam Lin, Grace Chen, and a silver tea service.
Amara appreciated the difference immediately.
"Please sit," Madam Lin said warmly.
"Thank you."
"I hope your brother is comfortable downstairs."
"He insisted on coming."
"A wise decision."
Grace poured tea and excused herself.
For a moment, the two women sat quietly.
Then Madam Lin reached across the table.
"Amara, I owe you an apology."
"You don't."
"I was present when Mr. Cross humiliated you. I should have stopped it before he began."
"You did object."
"Not strongly enough."
Amara looked down at the tea.
"Most people wouldn't have objected at all."
"That doesn't make silence acceptable."
Madam Lin studied her.
"I understand you lost your position."
"This morning."
"I'm sorry."
"I expected it."
"Expectation doesn't make injustice easier."
Amara gave a small smile.
"No. It doesn't."
Madam Lin opened a slim folder.
"I have several matters to discuss. First, the wager."
She removed a copy of the agreement signed at the restaurant.
"Mr. Cross's attorney has confirmed that the money is owed."
Amara looked surprised.
"He has?"
"Yes. I spoke with him this morning. The transfer should occur within the original five-business-day period."
"Without a confidentiality agreement?"
"Without one."
Amara exhaled slowly.
"Thank you."
"You earned it."
Madam Lin leaned back.
"Second, I want to ask whether you would be interested in working with my company."
Amara blinked.
"Working with Lin Global?"
"Yes."
"In what capacity?"
"That depends on your interests. We have an international communications division, a cross-border compliance team, and an educational foundation that could benefit from your expertise."
Amara struggled to respond.
It had been years since anyone had discussed her professional abilities without asking why she had been working in hospitality.
Madam Lin noticed.
"You're surprised."
"A little."
"Why?"
"Because I haven't worked in my field for a long time."
"Knowledge doesn't disappear because circumstances require you to use it differently."
Amara smiled faintly.
"My father used to say that."
"I know."
Madam Lin's expression softened.
"He said something similar when he worked with Jian."