Mel spent the afternoon in a high-end designer salon, directed by Zara, Rhys's chief of staff. It felt less like shopping and more like being fitted for an elaborate costume. The dress Zara chose was a stunning, midnight blue gown—elegant, restrained, and screaming "Kallen Capital Group" money.
As she looked at her reflection, Mel barely recognized herself. She looked polished, dangerous, and completely out of reach, exactly the image Rhys wanted. She remembered Tia's words: You wear the dress. You go to the dinner as a spy.
Later, back in the dorm room, Tia helped her with her hair and makeup.
"You look like you're about to run the country, not save it," Tia observed, carefully applying eyeliner. "Remember your mission, Mel. Rhys is looking for weakness. Don't give him an inch."
"He knows I'm observing him," Mel said, nervously adjusting the neckline. "He wants me to. He's testing me, Tia. He wants to see if I'm brave enough to watch him work, or if I'll melt into the background."
The private sedan took Mel to a towering, exclusive penthouse restaurant that overlooked the city—Rhys Kallen's world. Rhys was waiting near the entrance.
He wore a dark, perfectly tailored tuxedo. When his eyes landed on Mel, there was a momentary flicker of genuine, unguarded admiration that quickly vanished, replaced by his usual controlled intensity.
"You wear the Kallen brand well, Analyst," Rhys said, his voice low, a hint of something possessive in the tone. He didn't compliment the dress; he complimented the presentation of his company.
He offered her his arm, a purely social gesture of command.
"Tonight, you are more than an analyst. You are my most trusted confidante. The partners here tonight are the ones who make the deals. Watch their hands, Mel. Watch who they avoid. The true business is never done at the table."
The dinner was a blur of polite smiles and venomous subtext. Mel, positioned right beside Rhys, was the silent, intelligent fixture that commanded attention. She listened as Rhys charmed and commanded, navigating conversations about The Argos Expansion (the big overseas project) and Security Issues (the code for the hidden corruption).
She kept her promise to Tia, observing the partners:
Mr. Vasko kept checking his watch and avoided eye contact with Rhys when the supply chain issues were mentioned.
Mr. Chen kept glancing at his phone, his face betraying sudden, brief tension during a discussion about logistics tracking systems.
Mel was gathering fragments of information, storing them away for the data on the secure tablet.
Later, Rhys led her to a quiet corner on the balcony overlooking the lights.
"You haven't spoken much," Rhys noted, leaning against the railing.
"I was following your instructions, sir," Mel replied, sipping her champagne. "I was watching their
hands."
Rhys turned, closing the distance between them again. "And what did you learn, Mel? Tell me something I don't know."
Mel risked a bold observation. "Mr. Vasko is nervous. When you spoke about the new tracking system for the Argos project, he looked stressed. His nervousness wasn't about the cost; it was about the visibility the new system would create. He fears exposure."
Rhys looked at her, his dark eyes penetrating. He didn't deny it; he didn't confirm it. "You're excellent at finding the weakness in others, Mel. But you haven't mastered protecting your own."
He reached out, his hand gently settling on the bare skin of her back, the contrast between the rough wool of his tuxedo and the silk of her dress a startling sensation.
"You look tired," Rhys murmured, his gaze intense. "You are fighting for a moral outcome in a place where morality doesn't exist. That struggle is what makes you beautiful, but it will burn you out."
Mel stood her ground, heart hammering. "Then perhaps you should give me a better reason to stay, sir. Not just a challenge, but a truth."
"The truth is simple," Rhys whispered, moving impossibly closer, his breath warm against her ear. "I keep you here because you're the only honest thing in this building. And I want to see if I can corrupt you."
The statement was a threat and a confession. It was a challenge that pulsed with undeniable, forbidden attraction. He was daring her to compromise everything she stood for, and Mel realized she was staring directly into the eyes of the man who held both her future and her downfall.