Before he could finish his sentence, a delicate shadow slid across their table. A beautiful woman with silky black hair that cascaded to her waist stood silently beside them. Her honey-colored eyes, piercing and keen, first rested on Christopher, then paused on Elina with a measuring gaze. Her formal black dress fit her slender frame so flawlessly that the fabric itself seemed a part of her skin. A red ruby on her necklace glittered in the café’s amber light like a fresh drop of blood.
“Good evening. I apologize for the intrusion, Mr. Christopher.” Her voice was velvety and controlled. “As you requested, I have prepared your VIP guest card and brought it for you.”
Christopher nodded at the sight of her and stood up. “Ms. Gold, this is Lilith. She is Ichor’s accountant and one of the few people I trust unconditionally.”
Lilith gave a gracious smile—one that was more polite and professional than warm. She took a matte gold card out of her black leather handbag and placed it in Elina’s hands, saying: “Pleased to meet you. This card signifies your membership in Ichor’s inner circle. With this, you can use all the facilities inside and outside the hotel at any hour of the day or night, without a prior reservation.” She paused, fixing her honey-colored gaze on Christopher for a fraction of a second, then returning it to Elina.
Elina looked at the card. Her name was engraved on it in golden script: Elina Gold. And in the corner of the card, the same phoenix emblem from the invitation was embossed. Her thumb unconsciously traced over the raised ink, as if to reassure herself of the reality of this invitation.
“Thank you.” Elina said only this one word, without smiling.
Lilith accepted the response with a slight bow of her head, and then, just as she had appeared, she quietly faded away among the café’s patrons. The only trace of her presence was the faint scent of jasmine perfume, which lingered in the air for a moment before mingling with the cigar smoke.