"You look like you need help," the woman said as she approached Aria in the coffee shop.
"I do not need anything from you," Aria said without looking up from her cold tea.
"Yes, you do," the woman said. "You need justice for your family. I can help."
"Who are you?" Aria asked, finally looking up. "What do you want from me?"
"My name is Vera Santos," the woman said. "I am an independent investigator who helps people like you."
"What do you mean by 'people like me'?" Aria asked.
"People whose families were murdered by men too rich and powerful for the law to touch," Vera said.
"I know what happened to the Kozlovs," Vera said as she sat down. "I know you survived the massacre. I know who ordered the execution."
"Who?" Aria asked.
"Marcus Thorne," Vera said. "A tech billionaire. He has been eliminating art dealers who refuse to sell to him."
Vera put a manila envelope on the table. And said, "Financial records, phone intercepts, and witness statements are here. Go through it for yourself."
"Why are you helping me? What is in it for you?" Aria asked.
"Because I have built a case against Marcus Thorne for five years," Vera said. "But witnesses vanish and evidence is suppressed. He has connections everywhere."
"So what do you want from me?" Aria asked.
"I want you to get close to him," Vera said. "Learn his routines, his vulnerabilities, and his secrets. Help me gather more evidence that cannot be buried."
"You want me to spy on him," Aria said.
"I want you to destroy him from the inside," Vera said.
Vera opened the envelope and spread photographs and documents on the table. Vera said, "These are crime scenes, bank records, and phone transcripts."
"Marcus Thorne has killed at least a dozen dealers in five years," Vera said. "He orders executions like orders for lunch."
"Who is this?" Aria asked, holding a photo of a dead man.
"Viktor Petrov," Vera said. "A Russian collector who refused to sell his art collections to Thorne. He was found dead in a Moscow hotel."
"And this?" Aria asked, pointing to another photo.
"Maria Santos," Vera said. "A Spanish dealer who was killed in her apartment after refusing a sale."
"How do I know this is real?" Aria asked.
Vera pressed play on a small recorder. Marcus Thorne's voice played clearly. Marcus (recording): "The Kozlov situation needs to be resolved. They are being unreasonable about the sale."
Another voice (recording): "How do you want to handle it?"
Marcus (recording): "Permanently. Make sure they understand the consequences of refusing my offer."
Aria's hands shook as she listened.
"There are wire transfers from Thorne Industries to accounts that pay for these murders," Vera said. "He is not hiding it well."
"Why hasn't he been arrested? Why did you hand all this evidence to the authority?" Aria asked.
"Money, connections, and corruption," Vera said. "Judges, prosecutors, and police can be bought."
"But you can get close to him," Vera said. "You are young, intelligent, and beautiful. With the right training, you can reach him where the law cannot."
"What training?" Aria asked.
"Combat, espionage, and seduction," Vera said. "Everything you need to infiltrate his world and bring him down."
Aria looked at the photos of dead families. Aria asked, "If I do this, what happens to him?"
"Whatever you decide," Vera said. "The law will not deliver justice, but you can stop a killer."
"You are talking about murder; you want me to become a murderer?" Aria asked.
"I am talking about stopping a killer before he kills more families. If he had been stopped earlier, your family wouldn't have been eliminated. Someone has to stop him soon." Vera said.
"Think about it," Vera said, standing. "But do not take too long. Every day he stays free, more people die."
"Your brother died too; that was a waste of a young, promising life wasted because of one man's greed," Vera said. "Make his death mean something."
After Vera left, Aria sat alone and thought about the evidence. She thought about Dmitri's last word: "Run." She waited three days and then called Vera.
"I want to do it," Aria said.
"Good," Vera said. "We will start immediately."
Training began that week. A warehouse in East London became Aria's classroom. Former military instructors taught her how to fight, how to use weapons, and how to disappear.
"The most important lessons are about seduction," Vera said during training. "Read men's desires, become what they want, and make them trust you."
"Your ballet training will help," Vera said. "Grace and control make dancers useful for this work."
"I am not a dancer anymore," Aria said.
"Yes, you are," Vera said. "Ballet will be your cover and your weapon. Marcus collects beauty. You will be the most beautiful thing he sees. He will not be able to resist your beauty and charm."
Aria learned languages, art history, and practiced seduction on men who did not know they were part of training. She learned to kill without hesitation and to disappear without leaving traces.
After two years, Vera gave her a new identity. Vera said, "This is Elena Sterling, an art curator from London. The papers are clean and authentic."
"This is your life now," Vera said, handing her the passport. "Elena Sterling exists to destroy Marcus Thorne."
For three more years, Elena worked on openings, auctions, and private collections. She moved into Marcus's world step by step.
Finally, she was close enough to touch him. Aria looked at herself in the mirror. The scared girl was gone. Elena Sterling was ready.
Her phone buzzed with a message from Vera. Vera: Phase one complete. Now make him fall in love with you.
Aria: Already working on it.
Aria prepared for bed but felt uneasy. Marcus Thorne was more dangerous than expected because he made her feel things Elena Sterling was not supposed to feel. She was built like a robot, no feelings and no regrets.
Tomorrow night's dinner would test five years of work. It would show if she had trained enough or if she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.
---------------------------------
Marcus arrived at exactly eight pm. Aria opened the door, and he smiled.
"You look stunning."
"Thank you. You're right on time."
"I try not to keep beautiful women waiting."
They stepped into the elevator. The silence between them was charged. He glanced at her, and she caught him doing it.
"Planning to stare all night?" she asked lightly.
"Probably."
The car waited downstairs. He opened the door for her, then slid in beside her.
"Are you always this charming?" she asked.
"Only when I mean it."
They didn't talk much during the ride. But he kept watching her, and she let him.
The restaurant was quiet and private. He ordered wine without asking, and she let him do that too.
"I hope you like Bordeaux," he said, pouring her glass.
"I like that," she said.
They toasted. The wine was good. He leaned in slightly.
"So, Elena. What's your story? You said business brought you to New York. What kind?"
"Art. Always art," she said.
"And no one special waiting for you in London? You know, like boyfriend, fiancee, or something like that." He asked.
"No. That life got boring," she replied.
"Good. I don't like competition." He said while staring straight into her eyes.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you always this forward?"
"I don't waste time." He said with a smile.
Their food came. She barely touched hers.
"Tell me something," he said. "When you walked into that auction, did you already plan to get my attention?"
"Would it matter?" She asked.
"Not at all." He said.
He let his fingers brush hers when he reached for his glass. She didn't move away.
"You're not like most people I meet," he said.
"Is that a compliment?" she asked.
He couldn't keep his eyes off her. "It's dangerous. But yes."
The wine made her bold. "So what's your story? Billionaire, art lover, perfect suits. But what's underneath all that?"
He smiled. "You'd have to stick around to find out." He challenged her.
"Maybe I will." She said with a nod.
They held each other's gaze a moment too long. He leaned back, watching her.
"I was serious at the auction, by the way. I'm not in the habit of giving gifts to strangers. But something about you made me want to."
"And what do you want in return?" Aria asked.
"I was hoping you'd say yes to dinner. Now I'm hoping for more," Marcus said.
"You always move this fast?" she said.
"I know what I want," he replied.
She smiled. "What are you offering?" she asked.
"A job. A real one. My private collection's growing. I need someone who knows what they're doing. Someone I can trust," he said.
"You trust me already?" she asked.
"I want to," he replied.
There was a pause. Then she asked, "And what happens if I take the job?"
"We will work together. You get access to things most curators only dream of."
"And if I don't want the job?"
He leaned in. "Then I'll just have to find other reasons to see you."
She looked at him for a long moment. "I'll think about it."
He smiled. "That's all I ask."
She didn't know if she was walking into a job offer or a war.
Either way, she planned to win.