Chapter 26: The Façade of Elegance
The "Apology Dinner" was held at The Obsidian, a rooftop restaurant with a 360-degree view of the Lagos lagoon. What Sandra didn't know—and what few people in the city realized—was that Liam was the silent majority shareholder of the establishment. He had designed it to be a sanctuary of understated luxury, where the service was invisible and the food was art. He arrived exactly at 8:00 PM, finding Sandra already seated. She looked the part of a perfect bride-to-be: draped in a champagne-colored silk gown that whispered of old money, her hair pulled back in a sleek, sophisticated bun.
For the first forty-five minutes, Sandra was a master of performance. She spoke of her time in Switzerland, the charity work she supposedly oversaw, and her "deep respect" for the Sterling legacy. Liam watched her with a guarded expression, sipping a vintage red wine. He had to admit, she was talented at playing the role. She listened when he spoke, laughed at the right intervals, and didn't mention the merger once. But Liam was a man who looked for the cracks in every foundation. He noticed the way her eyes darted to other women in the room, measuring their jewelry against hers. He noticed the slight curl of her lip when the waiter took a second too long to refill her water. The "humble" Sandra was a costume, and Liam was simply waiting for the first thread to snag.