Chapter 280

Chapter 280:

“Like who?”

“Someone desperate for money. Someone who needs a job. A waiter. A valet. A last-minute replacement for a sick staff member.”

Alexander turned toward the hotel manager, who was reviewing staff assignments nearby. “We’ll check every employee. Run background checks on everyone who enters the building.”

“It might not be enough,” Stefan warned. “Rose is… creative. She thinks steps ahead.”

“So do I,” Alexander said firmly. “Keep working your contacts. If you hear anything else, call me immediately.”

“I will.”

After ending the call, Alexander summoned his team leaders. In rapid succession, he ordered additional security measures: background checks on all hotel staff, extended to family members and associates; bomb-sniffing dogs to check every guest as they arrived; facial recognition software programmed with Rose’s features to scan the crowd continuously.

“Sir,” one of his team leaders said hesitantly, “some of these measures are quite… intrusive. The guests may object.”

“I don’t care,” Alexander said flatly. “Better uncomfortable guests than dead ones.”

The man nodded and returned to his duties. Alexander checked his watch. Four hours until Camille would arrive to inspect the arrangements. Four hours to make this place impenetrable.

His phone rang again. Camille.

“How’s it going?” she asked, her voice calm but with an undercurrent of tension.

“We’re turning the Grand Plaza into Fort Knox,” Alexander assured her. “No one gets in without being thoroughly checked.”

“Stefan called,” Camille said. “He told me about Rose meeting with Bessonov.”

“I’m handling it.”

A pause. “I had another nightmare last night.”

Alexander stopped pacing. Camille rarely mentioned her nightmares, though he knew she still had them sometimes. “About the gala?”

“Yes.” Her voice was quieter now. “Everyone was there. Smiling. Celebrating. Then everything went dark. When the lights came back on, people were screaming. There was blood on my dress.”

“It was just a dream,” Alexander said gently, though his own unease deepened. “The security we have in place—”

“I know,” Camille cut him off. “I know it’s just anxiety. But I can’t shake this feeling, Alexander. Like we’re missing something obvious.”

Alexander looked around the ballroom, at the dozens of highly trained security personnel, at the state-of-the-art equipment being installed. What could they possibly be missing?

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