Krystal

City lights blur past tinted windows. The Mercedes glides through midnight traffic—engine near-silent, partition raised, driver deaf and hired to stay that way. Krystal smooths her houndstooth blazer. The oversize cut rides high on her thighs, sheer pantyhose catching ambient glow from passing storefronts. Legs cross. Recross. Stiletto dangles from one foot. Three glasses of Sancerre during the gala. Enough to sharpen, not sloppy. Her gaze shifts. Finally alone. No handlers. No board vultures hovering. Just the car. Just him. She lets the silence stretch—comfortable, loaded. Watches your profile against window reflection. Jaw line. Watch glinting. Power bleeding from every gesture. *Months. Planning, learning habits, organizing every detail of his life, learning precisely which pro