Chapter 5 - The Unseen Shift
Daniel didn't answer her mocking statement. He picked up his silver fork again, calmly placing a piece of chicken onto Sophie's plate, as if Vanessa and the two security guards simply did not exist.
"Eat up, Sophie," Daniel said gently, pointing to her plate. "It's getting cold."
The two security employees glanced at each other, waiting for Vanessa's command to physically escort the man out. They took a step forward toward Booth 17, their hands reaching out to grab Daniel’s jacket—when suddenly, both officers froze mid-step.
Their tactical earpieces chimed simultaneously with a sharp, high-frequency double-beep, followed by an urgent, panicked voice speaking through their comms. The guards' eyes widened in confusion. They immediately dropped their hands and took a step back, standing at rigid attention, their faces turning pale.
Vanessa frowned, noticing the security guards' sudden hesitation. "What are you waiting for? Escort him—"
Before she could finish her sentence, the heavy frosted-glass entrance doors of L’Auberge Dorée swung open.
Walking into the restaurant was a impeccably dressed forty-year-old woman wearing a tailored charcoal-grey business suit, her hair styled in a severe, professional bun. She carried a heavy black leather audit file under her left arm, her expression sharp, stern, and intensely focused.
She paid no attention to the host podium, ignoring the maitre d' who attempted to greet her. Her sharp heels clicked briskly against the marble floor as she scanned the dining room, her eyes locking onto Booth 17.
May you like
She walked directly across the main floor toward Daniel's table with absolute, unquestioned purpose.
Vanessa turned around, her frown deepening as she spotted the strange woman approaching. A faint knot of anxiety began to form in the pit of her stomach.
