Victor nodded approvingly. "Excellent. We want him off-balance, conflicted between his growing feelings for you and his guilt over betraying his wife. By the night of the gala, he should be a bundle of nerves, desperate for your attention yet terrified of discovery."
He paused, taking a sip of his whiskey before continuing. "Now, as for the gala itself. You'll attend as my guest, of course. We'll make quite the entrance - you on my arm, dressed to kill. Every eye in the room will be on you, I guarantee it."
Vivian raised an eyebrow. "Won't that raise suspicions? The mysterious Victor Mallory, suddenly appears with a beautiful woman no one's seen before?"
Victor chuckled. "Oh, it'll raise interest certainly. But suspicion? No. They'll assume you're my latest conquest, nothing more. It's the perfect cover for what we're about to do."
