In the hall—
"Where were you, Daisy?" Lara asked.
"Was tired. Woke up late," Daisy said, brushing it off. "And whose jacket is this?"
Lara shrugged. "Hmm. Zain's."
Daisy lifted the jacket slightly, curious. A backless dress underneath—no wonder the man reacted. "I see serious progress here. Old Lara would've tossed this jacket across the room. What's going on?"
"Nothing," Lara said, her face blank. "Just respect. He's our client. It's his party. That's all."
"Right. Sure." Daisy looked across the hall, where Zain was surrounded by people but still sneaking glances at Lara whenever he got the chance. "The man is trying so hard. Why don't you just give in? He looks good tonight. Very much your type."
"Not interested," Lara muttered. "He's trouble wrapped in a suit. And the smirks… and the nicknames—'sweetheart,' 'bunny,' 'rabbit.' He collects them like trophies."
Daisy crossed her arms. "He's trying to win you, but patiently."
"Whatever." Lara waved her off, then paused. "Hold on. I know this scent. Isn't this Mr. Rain's perfume? Daisy, don't tell me you got so obsessed you bought the same one he uses?"
"What? No!" Daisy sputtered. "We were in a… very crowded elevator, okay? We ended up standing right next to each other. His perfume probably mixed with mine, that's all. I'm not a madwoman."
"We never know, Miss Dark-Romance Fan," Lara chuckled.
The four of them eventually paired off and drifted onto the dance floor—mingling, laughing, and losing themselves in the music.
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After the party, everyone returned to their respective rooms.
"Let's meet near Dane's old abandoned mansion and sort out the plan," Lara said to Daisy over the phone. "I've got more information on his location. I'll send you the address. Be there by 8 p.m."
She ended the call and muttered to herself, "We're getting him this time."
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Near Dane's mansion—
Lara and Daisy were dressed in all black, faces partially covered, perched on the roof of a nearby building with binoculars in hand.
"Is he inside the mansion?" Daisy asked quietly.
"No," Lara replied. "But some of his close contacts are supposed to come here. They'll be meeting Dane. If we follow them, they might lead us straight to him."
"I think that's them," Lara said, lowering the binoculars.
Two men pulled up and paused, scanning the area before heading inside the mansion. A few minutes later, they came back out carrying two boxes, loaded them into their vehicle, and drove off.
"Let's go," Lara said.
They quickly climbed down from the roof, moving fast and quiet. Daisy had borrowed Rain's car, telling him she and Lara wanted to shop around.
She followed the men's vehicle, keeping a safe distance, careful not to tip them off or make the chase obvious.