Antonio's POV
The city had a certain glow at dusk, that golden hour when the sun kissed the tops of buildings and left everything bathed in a soft amber light. I pulled up to the restaurant a little earlier than our planned meeting time. My driver, Eric, smoothly parked the car in a quiet spot around the corner.
From my vantage point, I could see the entryway of the upscale restaurant, the faint hum of piano music, and laughter barely audible through the glass doors.
I was calm, outwardly composed, though my mind churned. Tonight, Laura would give me her answer. It was a strange contract—perhaps the strangest I had ever crafted—but it was the only one that mattered. I had spent years building an empire, accumulating wealth and power, yet for all my achievements, there was something mis
