Daniel Pierce, Theodore Vance's assistant, spoke to Evelyn in a tone that brooked no argument. "Ms. Rossi, I am aware the hotel manager was disrespectful to you earlier. He will be dealt with appropriately. We should not let such a minor inconvenience delay us."

"Mr. Vance is waiting upstairs."

Evelyn stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the hotel manager trembling on the floor, his face a mask of pure terror.

"What does that mean?" Evelyn asked, her voice laced with worry.

Firing him seemed excessive. The incident had been barely a bother to her.

She was used to such slights and usually ignored them unless they were egregious.

Punishing the manager so severely for something so trivial felt like a massive overreaction.

Her shock intensified when Daniel answered with icy calm. "We'll simply break one of his leg."

"What?" Evelyn's voice broke, her disbelief clear.

All this because he was slightly rude? Now this man was going to have his leg shattered?

"That's insane! You can't do that!" Evelyn protested, her tone urgent. "He hardly did anything! I don't even care about it! Stop this before it goes too far!"

She was bewildered by the extreme reaction. Was this how the wealthy handled every minor offense?

Daniel looked at Evelyn, his expression one of genuine surprise. "Ms. Rossi, are you suggesting we let him go?"

Evelyn's patience snapped, irritation coloring her words. "What else would I mean?"

She shook her head, her voice sharp. "I certainly hope you weren't serious about breaking his leg. That's savage. He's a person, not a toy."

After a brief pause, Daniel's posture relaxed slightly in acquiescence. "Very well. If that is your wish."

He raised a hand, signaling his men to release the manager. He fixed the man with a stern glare. "Remember this. Ms. Rossi is Mr. Vance's honored guest. Any future disrespect will not be tolerated."

His voice dropped to a frigid whisper as he snapped at the manager. "Well? Don't just lie there! Thank Ms. Rossi!"

The manager shuddered, his voice quaking as he bowed repeatedly. "Thank you, Ms. Rossi! I swear it will never happen again!"

Despite the resolution, Evelyn felt uneasy. She managed a nod. "It's fine. You can go."

The manager didn't need to be told twice. He nodded vigorously and scrambled away, relief evident in his haste.

Daniel turned his cold gaze from the retreating figure back to Evelyn. "Is the outcome to your satisfaction, Ms. Rossi? Do you require anything further?"

"No, that's all," Evelyn replied, her voice steadier as she took a deep breath, trying to quell her inner turmoil.

Daniel's smile was a fleeting, barely perceptible twitch of his lips. "Then if you would please follow me. Mr. Vance has been anticipating your arrival."

There was a disquieting formality in his tone that sent a chill down Evelyn's spine.

She felt like she had accidentally stepped into a den of snakes.

The calculated precision of his assistant's actions spoke volumes about Theodore Vance's own nature.

What had seemed like a simple business meeting was rapidly transforming into something much darker.

If they were willing to break a man's leg over a petty insult, what would they do if she truly angered Theodore?

A wave of apprehension washed over her. Subconsciously, her grip tightened on the pepper spray hidden in her pocket.

Could she escape quickly if things turned dangerous?

Her mind raced through potential exit strategies, but she maintained a composed exterior.

With practiced casualness, Evelyn retrieved her phone from her purse, scrolling to find Alexander Blackwood's contact.

Her finger hovered over the call button, ready to summon help at the first sign of trouble.

Finally, Daniel stopped before the entrance to a private room. He gestured for her to enter alone, stepping aside. "Ms. Rossi, please, after you."

His retreat from the doorway emphasized the isolation of the meeting that awaited her.