Chapter 7: Fitting Room Interrogation

"I am not giving you a choice, Lucas."

Victoria raised her voice to a theatrical level of fury. She slammed her hand against her desk again to emphasize her manufactured rage. The sound echoed sharply through the executive suite.

"You will take those altered files and you will make her believe every single word," Victoria shouted. "If you back out now I will see to it that you never work in the financial sector again. I will bury you in litigation. Do I make myself clear?"

Lucas grabbed the bugged black business card from the coffee table.

He shoved it into his jacket pocket and made sure to aggressively rustle the fabric so the hidden microphone would pick up the movement. He needed Camilla to hear a terrified young man submitting to a ruthless tyrant.

"Crystal clear," Lucas said while forcing a deliberate tremor into his voice. "I will do it. Just give me some time to figure out how to approach her."

"You have until the charity gala on Saturday," Victoria snapped. "Now get out of my sight."

Lucas turned and walked out of the office. He practically sprinted down the frosted glass hallway and jabbed the elevator button. The heavy metal doors slid shut and sealed him inside the quiet cabin. He leaned his head against the cool steel wall and let out a long breath.

He had just improvised a triple bluff on the spot without getting fired.

A pleasant chime echoed in his skull.

[Crisis Averted!]

[Quick thinking has successfully altered the hostile narrative.]

[Reward: 150 AP awarded.]

[Current AP Balance: 200]

His cheap smartphone buzzed in his trousers. He pulled it out and saw a secure text message from an unknown number. He did not need caller identification to know who sent it.

/Excellent recovery. I will have my team restructure the fake zoning files to look like a desperate trap. Camilla will think she avoided the poison and will try to leverage you for my genuine assets. Let her think she is saving you from me. Play the victim./ ℯℯ𝘭.

Lucas deleted the message and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He was no longer a simple errand boy. He was an active participant in a high-stakes war between two millionaires and his only armor was a tailored jacket he did not own.

He stepped out of the Vertex Management building and into the bustling city street. The morning sun was bright but the autumn air carried a sharp chill. He pulled out the black business card and stared at the gold lettering.

The bug was likely embedded between the layers of thick cardstock.

He walked toward a busy intersection to mask his voice with traffic noise and dialed the number on the card.

The line rang twice before a familiar musical voice answered.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to call me," Camilla said. She sounded smug and victorious.

"Ms. Verman," Lucas said while injecting a heavy dose of hesitation into his tone. "I need to speak with you regarding the wealth management position."

"I am sure you do," Camilla purred over the receiver.

"Can we meet?" Lucas asked. "I cannot talk on this phone for long."

"Of course we can meet," Camilla replied. "I am currently at the Laurent Boutique on Fifth Avenue. Tell the staff at the front door you are my personal guest. Do not keep me waiting."

The line clicked dead.

Lucas mentally prepared himself for the incoming honey trap. He navigated the crowded sidewalks and headed straight for the luxury shopping district. Laurent was an exclusive menswear boutique that did not list its prices on the window displays because anyone who needed to ask could not afford to shop there.

A towering security guard in a pristine suit opened the heavy glass door for him. The interior smelled like rich leather and expensive cedar.

A nervous sales associate immediately guided Lucas past the rows of imported Italian suits and toward a private VIP fitting area in the back of the store.

The associate bowed slightly and retreated.

Lucas stepped into the sprawling private lounge.

The room was lined with three-way mirrors and plush velvet seating. Camilla Verman was sitting on a lavish circular sofa in the center of the room. She was holding a crystal flute of champagne and staring at him with predatory amusement. Her crimson dress looked even more dangerous under the warm boutique lighting.

"You look stressed," Camilla observed while taking a slow sip of her drink.

"It has been a difficult morning," Lucas admitted.

He activated his Advanced Body Language Reading skill.

The subtle visual overlay immediately highlighted the relaxed slump of her shoulders and the confident tilt of her chin. She felt powerful. She believed she held all the cards and she was thoroughly enjoying the power dynamic.

"I can imagine," Camilla said. She reached into her designer purse and pulled out a small silver remote.

She pressed a button.

A sleek audio speaker on the glass coffee table crackled to life. Victoria’s angry voice filled the fitting room.

I am offering you a massive commission to leak those altered files to her. Are you going to be a coward or are you going to do your job?

Camilla paused the recording and smiled. "Altered files. Your boss is trying to set me up for a massive financial loss and she is using you as the sacrificial lamb. Tell me, Lucas. Did you honestly think I would not run a background check on Victoria’s shiny new toy?"

Lucas forced his eyes to widen in fabricated panic. He took a step back and looked at the door.

"You bugged the card."

"I bugged the card," Camilla confirmed with a wicked grin. She set her champagne down and stood up. "I know her plan. I know she wants you to feed me poisoned zoning documents. I also know that if you fail her she is going to ruin your life."

She closed the distance between them. Her high heels sank into the thick Persian rug as she stepped directly into his personal space. She reached out and ran her manicured fingernail down the lapel of his jacket.

"You are cornered," Camilla whispered. "But you are also very lucky. I am willing to offer you a way out."

"A way out," Lucas repeated while trying to maintain his nervous persona. He did not have to fake the way his heart pounded when she stood this close.

The woman radiated raw sexuality and dominant confidence. "What do you want?"

"I want the real files," Camilla stated plainly. "Victoria is hiding the genuine profit margins for her financial district expansion. You are going to go back to that freezing office and retrieve the authentic documents for me. In exchange I will hire you at double whatever she is paying you and protect you from her lawyers."

The trap was fully sprung. Victoria had predicted this exact outcome. Camilla thought she was flipping a reluctant spy to her side.

"And if I refuse?" Lucas asked quietly.

"Then I play that recording for the corporate espionage board and you go to prison," Camilla smiled. "I am not asking for your permission. I am offering you a new way. My way."

Lucas let out a defeated sigh.

He let his shoulders slump and broke eye contact to look at the floor. It was a calculated display of submission that the System confirmed with a slight increase in her dependency meter. She wanted a pawn and he was giving her exactly what she desired.

"Fine," Lucas said softly. "I will get you the real files. But I need time."

"You have until my charity gala," Camilla said. Her green eyes gleamed with triumph. "Which brings us to your second task. I told my board of directors I was bringing my new fiancé to the event to silence their ridiculous concerns about my personal life. You are going to play that role."

She turned away and gestured toward a rolling rack of bespoke suits the boutique staff had prepared.

"You cannot wear that cheap off-the-rack garbage Victoria gave you," Camilla insulted his current outfit with a dismissive wave. "If you are going to stand next to me you need to look like you belong to me. Pick a suit from the rack."

Lucas walked over and selected a dark charcoal two-piece that felt heavier than his monthly rent. He held it up.

"Where is the changing room?"

Camilla reached out and pushed a button on the wall. The heavy wooden door to the VIP lounge slid shut with a solid electronic click. The locking mechanism engaged and sealed them inside the mirrored room.

"You are not going anywhere," Camilla said while crossing her arms over her chest. Her playful demeanor vanished and was replaced by cold suspicion. "Victoria is ruthless. For all I know you are still working for her and wearing a wire right now."

Lucas froze. "I am not wearing a wire."

"Prove it," Camilla demanded.

She leaned back against the plush velvet sofa and watched him with a hungry calculating gaze.

"Take off your clothes. Every single piece."