CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE – THE FEMME FATALE

The storm clouds gathered ominously outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of Lance's corner office. Kayla shifted uncomfortably in her chair as she watched Valeria Vega glide effortlessly around the room. Even in the somber gray light filtering in, the striking businesswoman seemed to radiate an incandescent glow. "As I was saying," Valeria purred, green eyes locked on Lance, "a partnership between our companies would be mutually beneficial on so many levels." She traced a perfectly manicured finger along the edge of Lance's desk. "With my innovative tech solutions and your company's manufacturing muscle, we could corner the emerging markets." Lance leaned forward, elbows on the desk, hanging on Valeria's every word. "I'm liking what I'm hearing so far. But the devil's in the details. What exactly did you have in mind for revenue sharing?" Valeria's full lips stretched into a Cheshire grin. "Why get bogged down in minutiae at this stage? I'm more of a...big picture person." She s