Sasha looked at our joined hands, then back at me, the uncertainty in her eyes finally giving way to a quiet, resolute fire. "Okay," she whispered, her voice gaining a strength I hadn't heard since we left the city. "Yes. If we're doing this, we're doing it together."
Monet watched the exchange, her expression a mask of cool, professional detachment, though the way she gripped her champagne flute told a different story. She knew when to pivot.
She hadn't become a billionaire by fighting a tide she couldn't stop; she simply learned how to own the water.
"A partnership," Monet said, her voice smooth as silk. "How... poetic. But if we are going to elevate the Banghouse to a prestige brand, we need more than just a title change. We need a statement. We'll host a launch party next week—Manhattan's elite, the press, the influencers. We'll show the world exactly who is behind the curtain."
