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between them. "She didn't merely strip. She revealed." His hand rose, not touching, but hovering near her collarbone. "She bared her soul as well as her body."

Hannah's skin prickled. This wasn't about seduction, it was about domination. Submission as collateral. She forced her chin higher. "My weakness is Tanaka's collapse. My secret is knowing how to prevent it. That's what makes me valuable to you."

Steiner's hand didn't waver. "Vulnerability, Ms. Hartwell. Not value. Shirley knelt."

The command hung in the air like a blade. Hannah's muscles locked. Kneeling wasn't submission, it was capitulation. The city lights blurred beyond the glass. She thought of Clare's sceptical eyes, Reddy's sneer, the owl's challenge: "Prove you can do some heavy lifting." Shirley's footprints washed away. Tanaka's future. Her escape.

She didn't kneel.

Not yet.

Her gaze didn't drop. She held Steiner's glacial stare, her voice a blade in the silence. "Shirley knelt. I don't."

"That's a shame. We were getting on so well. We could have had a little romance here tonight, something which would have benefited us both."

Hannah didn't move. "Romance requires mutual interest. You want obedience."

"I want something precious. Something rare. Something you've never given to anyone before."

Hannah's heart hammered against her ribs. The city lights painted Steiner's face in cold blues and whites. "You have Tanaka's survival. My reputation. My body. What else could possibly matter?"

"Trust matters. Trust is everything. When you show someone obedience you're giving that person your trust."

Hannah weighed his words carefully before replying. "Trust requires reciprocity. You haven't given me anything."

Steiner's lips curved in a glacial smile. He moved to the ebony desk, opened a drawer, and slid a document across the polished surface. "Tanaka's directors. All seventeen of them. How they lined up on every vote held in the last three years. Information that the public never sees."

Hannah didn't touch the papers. "What makes you think I don't have this information already?"

Steiner's smile sharpened. "Of course you have it. But not in this much detail. With this precise information, you'll know whether assumptions you've been making about certain directors are actually reflected in their voting patterns. You can replace speculation with stone cold facts."

Hannah approached the desk, her heels clicking on the marble floor, as the one thing she still had on were her shoes. She scanned the top page, which was a breakdown of board votes cast by Chen. The second page detailed the votes cast by a director called Qiang. She turned to the third page, her pulse quickening. She could see this information was well worth having, as it would provide clear and valuable insight into the factional dynamics on Tanaka's board.

Steiner watched her intently. "I trust you'll use this information wisely." He paused as she continued to read. "And I hope you appreciate just how much trust I've placed in you, as this information could redraw the battlefield." He paused again and then tapped the document. "This is trust made tangible. Now show me yours."

Hannah lifted her gaze from the papers. The quickness of her pulse had made her feel warm, but her resolve burned even hotter. She moved away from the desk, her steps deliberate. "You want obedience?" Her voice was low, controlled. "I'll give you more than Shirley ever did." She walked to the center of the room, directly beneath the city's cold glow. Slowly, deliberately, she lowered herself to her knees. The marble bit into her skin, but she held her posture rigid, spine straight, chin high.

Steiner's breath hitched almost imperceptibly. Hannah was a very attractive young woman. She was completely naked. She was kneeling before him. Even promising to give him more than Shirley. It was an exhilarating mixture.

He circled her again, very slowly this time, the predatory gleam intensifying. "More than Shirley?"

"Yes." Hannah kept her gaze fixed on the skyline, declining to look at him. "I'm not living in Shirley's shadow, trying to emulate her. I'm making waves of my own"

Steiner completed his circle and for a few moments there was silence in the room, save for the hum of the city below. Then he began his motion again and moved behind her, his shadow falling across her bare skin.

"Shirley," he murmured, his voice closer now, "would have begged by this point." His fingers brushed the nape of her neck, feather-light, testing. "She understood the power of desperation."

Hannah didn't flinch. The cold marble beneath her knees anchored her. "Desperation makes you predictable. I'm offering you something sharper." She tilted her head slightly, exposing the line of her throat. "Control."

Steiner's fingers tightened, not painfully, but possessively. His breath warmed her skin. "Explain."

Hannah kept her voice steady, each word deliberate. "I'm sure Shirley played her role well, but I'm made of stronger stuff. I'm giving you command. My obedience doesn't take the form of pleas, it takes the form of duty. Use it as you will." She remained motionless, her submission radiating defiance. The city's lights glinted off her shoulders, turning her into a sculpture of surrender and strength. Steiner traced her spine with a fingertip, his touch clinical yet charged.

"Interesting," he murmured. His hand withdrew. "Stand." Hannah rose fluidly, facing him. Steiner gestured toward the leather sofa. "Sit." She complied, the cool leather against her skin heightening her awareness. He didn't join her. Instead, he leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "Shirley was quite an analyst. What's your hallmark?"

"My resolve," Hannah stated. She kept her legs together, posture rigid. "I won't vanish like Shirley. Or hesitate over Tanaka like some of the players involved. I'll see it through to the end."

Steiner's gaze sharpened. "Resolve is admirable. But resolve alone doesn't move markets." He pushed off the desk and paced slowly before her. "Shirley's hallmark was her intuition. She anticipated moves before they happened. Reddy's power grab? She flagged it last year." He paused, turning abruptly. "What do - you - anticipate happening now?"

Hannah's mind raced. The voting patterns Steiner had shown her flashed through her thoughts. "I have a good idea, but when I've studied that document you've given me I'll have a much better one."

Steiner's expression remained unreadable. "Speculate."

Hannah held his gaze, having forgotten she was naked during the tactical chess match which had unfolded. "I speculate that the restructuring plan will go ahead. Your vote helps secure it."

Steiner's smile was thin. "Too vague. Markets thrive on precision." He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the sofa's armrests, caging her in. "Tell me exactly how Reddy will react when Chen presents your model tomorrow."

The cold leather pressed against her skin as she leaned forward slightly. "It won't be tomorrow. We're not ready yet. Don't get ahead of the game."

Steiner's eyebrow arched. "Delaying?"

"Strategically," Hannah countered, her voice low and steady. "We need to have all our ducks in a row." She saw the flicker of approval in Steiner's eyes and pressed her advantage. "Besides, we have to make use of the data you've given me."

Steiner straightened, his mind appearing to have returned to Hannah's physical attributes, his predatory gaze now lingering on her naked form. She didn't try to cover anything from him, but simply sat there relaxed, though her bare skin felt the chill of the leather. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint sounds of the city.

"Stand," he said suddenly. Hannah rose, the leather sighing as she left its imprint. He moved to the center of the room. "Here."

She obeyed, positioning herself where he indicated. Steiner circled her once more, his gaze appreciative of the curve of her hip, the dip of her waist, the firm cheeks he saw behind her. "Kneel," he said.

Hannah lowered herself back onto the marble floor, the cold biting her knees sharply this time. She kept her spine straight, her shoulders back, presenting herself fully to his scrutiny.

Steiner circled again, slowly, his polished shoes clicking against the stone. "You're a fascinating contradiction, Ms. Hartwell," he murmured, stopping behind her. "All this fire within you... You're so spirited, something I admire... yet at the same time kneeling so beautifully."

His hands brushed her shoulders, his fingers tracing the line of her collarbone. Hannah remained motionless, not reacting in any way, ready to serve.

"Shirley understood the art of surrender," he said, his voice low. "But you... you offer control wrapped in defiance. It's... potent." His fingers still ran along her shoulders, but moved more firmly now. "I could make you kneel for an hour. Shirley would ask me to end it quite quickly, but I get the feeling you would submit as instructed and calmly kneel for the whole hour."

Hannah didn't reply. She kept her gaze fixed ahead on the city lights, her breathing steady. She had promised to give Steiner control and she was going to be as good as her word.

His hands suddenly stilled. "Stand," he said. Hannah rose smoothly, happy to be free of the marble's unforgiving chill. He hands found her shoulders again, as he continued to stand behind her, but soon drifted lower, reaching around and finding the swell of her breasts.

For some moments his hands were busy there, taking their fill of her breasts, Steiner appreciating both their firmness and their softness to his touch. Then he broke away and went over to the window, pulling on a curtain cord. As the curtains closed, cutting off the city view, he turned back to Hannah.

"You have a beautiful body, Hannah," he said, his voice thick. "But I want to see you move. Dance for me. Like you did on the stage."

The command landed differently. This wasn't submission. It was performance. Power reclaimed. She thought about kicking off her shoes and dancing barefoot, but although the air in the room was warm, she knew the marble floor was cold, and so she kept her shoes on. She closed her eyes for a heartbeat, shutting out Steiner, the room, the pressure. She heard the phantom pulse of the club's music, felt the memory of Rossi's challenge burning in her muscles. This time, the audience was one, the stakes higher.

She began slowly, deliberately. Not the defiant, crowd-commanding whirl from the stage, but something sharper, more intimate. A prowl. Her hips swayed with calculated grace, each movement emphasizing the lines of her body under Steiner's hungry gaze. She turned, facing him fully, her expression unreadable, distant. Her arms lifted, not in invitation, but in sculpted arcs, tracing invisible patterns in the air. She wasn't dancing for him, she was dancing despite him, transforming his demand into her own declaration.

Steiner watched, transfixed, leaning against his desk. The raw magnetism she'd shown on stage was distilled here into something colder, more controlled. Hannah glided over the marble floor, the only sound her shoes clicking on it. She moved closer, her movements tightening, becoming more precise - a predator circling prey. Her eyes finally locked onto his, holding his stare as she executed a sharp, fluid turn that brought her within arm's reach. She stopped abruptly, chest rising and falling with controlled breaths, the silence thick and charged.

"Bravo," cried Steiner, applauding as he did so, and Hannah knew his approval was genuine. She stood in the center of the room, feeling that her vow to give him more than Shirley had was surely being fulfilled. He pushed away from the desk and walked over to her.

"That was impressive," he said, his hands exploring her breasts again. "You're clearly a woman of many talents." He lowered his hands and cupped the cheeks of her backside, finding they had the same qualities as her breasts, firm and yet soft to the touch. His hands lingered, possessive but not forceful.

Suddenly he stepped away, crossed the room to the window and picked up a rug which lay beside it. Returning to Hannah, he placed it right in front of her. "Kneel," he said.

Hannah lowered herself onto the rug, relieved at not having to kneel on the marble floor this time. Her breath was still heavy, following the exertion of her dance, but apart from that she had become motionless once more. Steiner smirked with approval.

"Shirley would have given up by now," he murmured. "But you... you're like stone."

Hannah remained silent. The rug's coarse fibers made her knees itch a little, but that was a trivial discomfort compared to the icy marble. Steiner circled her slowly, his polished shoes whispering against the floor. He stopped directly in front of her, blocking her view of the room. "Open your mouth."

She obeyed without hesitation, tilting her head back slightly. He traced her lower lip with his thumb, his expression unreadable. Then his thumb pressed down, forcing her mouth open a little more, testing her resolve. Hannah didn't flinch.

Steiner withdrew his hand and walked to the desk. He began to undress, placing his clothes very carefully and neatly on the chair there. Hannah remained kneeling on the rug, motionless. She watched him with detached focus, analyzing his movements. The deliberate folding of his jacket, the precise alignment of his cufflinks on the polished wood. Each action was controlled, meticulous. He removed his tie slowly, silk whispering against cotton, then unbuttoned his shirt with steady fingers. His physique was lean, maintained, the body of a man who valued order and discipline. He folded the shirt with sharp creases before turning to face her, now naked.

He approached Hannah, stopping directly before her. Because of her kneeling position, she found herself looking directly at his erection. He placed a hand firmly on the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair. Not roughly, but with undeniable authority. "Open."

Hannah parted her lips and he guided himself into her mouth. Her tongue flattened, accommodating him. There was no hesitation on her part, and no reluctance, just complete cooperation. She'd promised him control. She delivered it. She was a woman of her word.

Steiner's grip tightened slightly in her hair as he began a slow, deliberate rhythm. Hannah focused on her breathing through her nose, steady and silent. She kept her eyes open, fixed on the rug's intricate pattern a short distance below her face. The coarse fibers scratched at her knees, a grounding counterpoint to the intimacy of the act. She didn't move her head, she let him dictate the pace, depth, everything. Her submission was absolute, yet somehow it felt like a demonstration of strength - her choice to yield him control, her choice to yield entirely.

He watched her intently, his expression a mask of concentration. "Good," he murmured, the word thick with approval. "Very good." His movements became more assertive, testing her limits. Hannah remained pliant, accommodating, her throat relaxing instinctively. The silence of the room was broken only by the soft sounds of their breathing and the faint, wet rhythm. Time seemed to stretch, measured by the steady pulse Steiner established. Hannah's jaw began to ache faintly, a dull throb building, but she ignored it, channeling her focus into perfect stillness, perfect compliance. She was fulfilling her promise - more than Shirley, better than Shirley.

Steiner's breathing became very heavy. His fingers tightened convulsively in her hair, pulling her head forward firmly as he thrust deeper, holding her there for a long, suspended moment. She felt him shake slightly as though he was losing control and a low groan escaped him, vibrating through her. Then, abruptly, he withdrew. "Close your mouth," he said urgently.

Hannah obeyed, sealing her lips. She knew he hadn't finished, and the way he was positioned, having remained in such close proximity, told her what was likely to happen next.

Steiner's hand remained tangled in her hair but he relaxed his grip now. His breathing was ragged, his eyes dark with intensity. "Look at me," he commanded. Hannah tilted her head back and raised her gaze, meeting his directly. There was no shame in her eyes, only focused resolve.

He studied her face for a long moment, then his free hand moved to touch himself. A moment later, warmth splashed heavily across her cheek. Hannah didn't flinch. She held his gaze steadily, her expression unchanging, accepting this final mark of his control as she had accepted everything else. She felt the fluid running down her face, dripping onto her collarbone, and then her breast. It was messy, degrading, yet she remained utterly still, a statue carved from willpower.

He stepped back, his expression unreadable as he watched her. She remained kneeling, she didn't wipe her face, she simply waited. He nodded to himself smugly and a look of satisfaction spread across his face, mixed with something sharper - assessment. "You didn't flinch," he observed, a statement, not a question, a note of admiration in his voice.

Hannah remained silent. Flinching would have signaled weakness, loss of control. She'd maintained it. Steiner nodded again, a flicker of genuine respect in his eyes. "Impressive discipline." He turned away, retrieving a silk robe from behind his desk and slipping it on.

The intimacy was suddenly over, Steiner's tone now crisp and professional. "Dress," he ordered, gesturing towards her discarded clothing and handing her a box of tissues. "We have business to conclude."

Hannah rose smoothly, ignoring the stiffness in her knees. She wiped her face and body with clinical efficiency, the tissues pressed against her skin. Each movement was deliberate, reclaiming her autonomy piece by piece as she stepped back into her lingerie and zipped the dress. The silk felt like armor settling into place. Steiner watched, his earlier predatory gaze replaced by cold calculation.

When she was ready, he handed her the document he'd shown her earlier. "These voting records," he said, tapping the folder. "They reveal Tanaka's fault lines. But they also show who clings to illusions and who quietly bends to pressure. I'm sure you'll find it... illuminating."

"I'm sure we can count on - your - vote and support," said Hannah.

"You've earned it." Steiner smiled thinly. "I'll also keep you informed if there are any internal developments you should know about. You've earned that too." Hannah tucked the folder under her arm, its weight heavier than paper, and Steiner walked her down the passageway.

She passed through the hidden doorway, back into the club, putting her mask back on. The sudden swell of music and chatter felt jarring after the stark silence of Steiner's room. She clutched the folder tighter, its contents a tangible prize won at a steep cost. Her cheek still felt phantom warmth, a visceral reminder of the line she'd crossed. Yet, beneath the lingering discomfort, a fierce, cold satisfaction burned. She'd done it. She'd secured Steiner.

Suddenly, a man in a harlequin mask approached her and handed her a note. It read: "Good luck with Keller tomorrow. Make sure Maria pitches too. He'll know in the morning that the scarab's withdrawn his offer." Underneath it added: "The man who gave you this note doesn't speak English, but he'll take you back to your hotel. AR."

Hannah glanced at the harlequin-masked messenger, who gestured toward the exit. She nodded and followed him out. When she was back in her hotel room, she showered to remove all traces of Steiner from her body, but the memory of his final act stayed sharp in her mind. She met her own gaze in the mirror - eyes hard, jaw set. No regret at all. Only resolve.

When she awoke in the morning, Hannah started making plans for another big day ahead. She was flying home that evening, and needed to check in with Clare before then as ordered, but pitching to Keller was the first item on the agenda, and that meant liaising closely with Maria.

She called Maria as soon as she was dressed. "We're pitching Keller today," Hannah said without preamble. "Rossi's arranged it. And he wants you to present too."

"Are we competing against Tanaka?"

"No, I don't think Tanaka's going to be interested in acquiring Keller after all. My feeling is that Tanaka's going to dispose of its own biotech."

"Well my office have given me as much on Keller as they can, given the short time available," Maria replied. "So with half an hour's work I'll be ready. I'll come to your room."

Maria arrived with a folder in her hand, full of her bank's analysis. She showed Hannah how patent litigation made valuing Keller difficult, but that if he was intent on selling buyers could certainly be found. She was confident she could present a strong case, even more so after Hannah told her that the scarab beetle's offer was no longer on the table.

Hannah was more interested in Keller's gene therapy project and if that could be salvaged. That was the area of the business which was potentially ripe for repositioning. Although she didn't understand much of the detail, Alex had presented her with the outline of a plan and she would present it to Keller as best she could. She formulated her argument.

Her phone buzzed with a text. Alessandro Rossi. "Keller will see you at noon. A car is on the way to collect you."

Hannah relayed the news to Maria, who nodded, gathering her notes. Hannah smoothed her dress and checked her reflection in the mirror - hair pinned precisely, makeup flawless. Armor.

The car arrived promptly and Hannah recognised the driver from the night before. They rode in silence through Milan's busy streets, Hannah mentally rehearsing Alex's technical points, Maria reviewing her valuation notes. The driver pulled up outside a large hotel and escorted them inside, leading them up to the eighth floor. He rapped on the first door they came to and a tall well-dressed man opened it. He looked different without his silver fox mask, but Hannah recognized his sharp eyes. Keller waved them inside, offering no pleasantries, gesturing for them to sit down.

"Rossi told me you have something to say," he stated, his voice clipped. "Make it concise."

Maria began, outlining her bank's valuation approach. She detailed Keller's patent portfolio strengths while acknowledging the litigation risks. "Despite the challenges," she concluded, "multiple buyers would engage at the right price point. We can facilitate competitive bidding."

Keller waved a dismissive hand. "I know my company's worth. What I don't know is whether anyone can salvage the gene therapy division." His gaze shifted to Hannah, sharp and expectant. "Rossi said - you - had the solution."

Hannah leaned forward, projecting calm authority. "The project isn't dead, Herr Keller. It's been strategically paused." She outlined Alex's analysis: the core science remained sound, but poor decision making had compromised the development. "The Phase Two failure was a setback, but Phase Two failures reveal pathways. Your data shows efficacy in a subset with specific biomarkers," she stated, watching Keller's eyes narrow. "You've got a diagnostic patent pending. Pair it with targeted therapy for that subgroup, and you pivot from failure to precision medicine pioneer."

Keller remained stone faced. "And the capital? The board won't fund it."

"That's where strategic restructuring comes in," Hannah countered smoothly. "Spin off the gene therapy division as a separate entity. Attract specialized biotech investors hungry for innovation, not burdened by your core business's litigation overhang. Maria's team can structure the carve-out financing." She nodded towards Maria, who immediately presented slides outlining a phased separation, debt isolation, and fresh equity injection pathways.

Keller studied the proposal, his hands clasped. "A spin-off requires board approval. My board lacks vision. And nerve."

"Then replace them," Hannah stated bluntly. Maria stiffened beside her, but Hannah pressed on. "You hold significant voting power. Exercise it."

Keller's knuckles whitened where his fingers pressed together. "It's not that simple. The board is entrenched."

"Entrenched doesn't mean immovable."

Keller exhaled slowly, the sound more calculation than release. "They're not just directors. They're shareholders. Old money. Old grudges. If I move against them, I start a war."

"You're already at war," Hannah countered, her voice low and steady. She tapped the folder Maria had prepared. "Your patent litigation is draining cash, and your gene therapy division is rotting while they debate. Spin it off, and you isolate the conflict. Let the new entity fight its own battles with fresh capital. Your core business survives intact." She leaned forward, locking eyes with him. "You founded this company to innovate, not to watch lawyers pick over its bones."

Keller's gaze flickered to the window, where Milan's skyline glittered under the midday sun. Silence stretched, thick with the weight of many years of boardroom stalemates. Maria shifted, her polished slides suddenly feeling inadequate against the raw tension in the room. Hannah held her breath, her mind racing. Had she pushed too hard? Too fast?

Then, Keller turned back, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. "Old money," he repeated, the words brittle. "You think they fear innovation? No. They fear irrelevance." He stood abruptly, pacing to a sleek sideboard and pouring himself a glass of water, his movements precise, controlled. "A spin-off..." He took a slow sip, his back to them. "It would be a declaration of war. They would fight it. Viciously."

"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."

Keller turned sharply, his eyes narrowing at Hannah's blunt analogy. "And who, precisely, are the eggs in this scenario? My colleagues? My oldest investors?"

"The ones blocking your legacy," Hannah replied, her gaze unwavering. "You built Keller Biotech on breakthrough science. Let the spin-off honor that. The old guard can keep the barely profitable, stagnant core." She gestured to Maria. "We can have term sheets drafted within a week. Targeted investors lined up. But only if you clear the path."

Keller set his glass down with a decisive clink. "To clear the path I'd need a precise plan of action" His stare pinned Hannah. "Not just talk. Detailed analysis."

Hannah didn't hesitate. "We'll provide it. Within a week. Maria's team will map the legal separation mechanics, valuation thresholds, and investor targeting. I'll coordinate with our technical advisor on repositioning the gene therapy data for maximum impact." She felt Maria's subtle nod of agreement beside her.

Keller's gaze lingered on Hannah, assessing. "A week," he stated flatly. "And if your analysis fails to convince?"

"Then you've lost nothing but time," Hannah countered smoothly. "But it won't fail. We understand the stakes." She held his stare, refusing to blink. The air hummed with the unspoken threat of his board's retaliation, but Hannah saw the flicker in his eyes - the founder's hunger rekindled. "He wants this", she realized. He just needed someone to shoulder the risk.

Keller gave a curt nod. "One week. Deliver the full proposal." He turned to Maria. "Your bank handles the carve-out structure. No leaks." His gaze snapped back to Hannah. "And you - ensure the science narrative is airtight. No vague promises."

"We'll exceed expectations," Hannah affirmed, rising. Maria followed suit, gathering her materials with practiced efficiency. Keller didn't offer his hand, merely gesturing toward the door with a dismissive flick of his wrist. The dismissal was absolute.

They took the elevator down and Maria exhaled sharply. "That was... intense." Her knuckles were white around her folder. "We could end up in the middle of a boardroom war."

"Then we supply him with weapons," Hannah said. As they got into a cab she pulled out her phone to message Alex. "Keller approved the spin-off plan. Need full technical repositioning analysis within 5 days. Prioritize biomarker subgroup data." She hit send, her mind racing. "Call your office. Tell them to start drafting the separation mechanics. Keller wants zero leaks."

Back at their hotel they lunched together, continuing to exchange thoughts on Keller, until they decided that for now they had done everything they could. Hannah returned to her room, aware that she had to pack for the flight home, but knowing that she also had to brief Clare as ordered.

She decided to send Clare some messages before calling, feeling that supplying information beforehand would make the conversation easier. She remembered Clare's instruction to find out why Reddy was rattled over their involvement with Tanaka, and sent an email, following Rossi's suggestion, telling her there was infighting between him and Chen. She added some vague words about being optimistic on progress with Tanaka. She also sent an email on Keller, explaining what had happened at their meeting and what she had requested from Alex.

She then packed and got ready to leave, giving Clare time to read the emails. When she eventually called, Clare answered immediately, her voice clipped. "Hannah. I got your emails, but you still haven't told me who the mystery client is."

Hannah took a breath, keeping her tone measured. "I'm bound by confidentiality, Clare. Revealing identities could jeopardize delicate negotiations." She heard Clare's sharp inhale and quickly added, "But I can confirm it's a major Tanaka shareholder. They're impressed with our strategy and want to move fast." She paused, letting the weight of ‘major shareholder' sink in. "Reddy's rattled because he's losing control. Chen is pushing back hard."

Clare's silence stretched, then her voice turned icy. "You're playing a dangerous game withholding details. Why the secrecy? And what about Keller? You promised term sheets in a week. Can Alex deliver?"

"He's already on it," Hannah assured her. "And Keller's committed - if we deliver precision."

Clare's tone sharpened. "Precision requires context... We're going to have a lot to talk about on Monday."

Hannah felt relieved. The call had not been as difficult as she had feared. She checked the time and made her way to Maria's room to say goodbye. Maria opened the door with her ear to the phone and waved her inside.

Hannah waited there a moment. Maria was coordinating with her office to assemble the legal and financial teams needed for Keller's aggressive timeline. Hannah listened, impressed by Maria's calm authority. She was a natural at this - the seamless orchestration of expertise, the crisp delegation. It was a skill Hannah would have to master herself.

They said their goodbyes, Maria's flight not being until the following day, but they promised to get together back home, and not just for business.

Hannah arrived at the airport, reflecting on her strange and eventful time in Milan. She thought of Chen, Rossi, Scarab Beetle, Keller, Reddy, The Owl, Steiner - they all swirled together in her mind, a storm she'd chosen to walk through. As she boarded the plane, she remembered Maria's warm smile, Rossi's hand between her legs, the two masked men at the demo, the voting records now in her carry-on, Steiner spurting on her face, Clare's doubtful and suspicious tone. She regretted nothing she'd done, feeling certain that the trip had been a bigger success than she'd ever hoped for. She'd been bold, looked for opportunity, passed every test that came her way. It was a big win in her book.

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