A week after the meeting in Vienna, another black envelope arrived.
This time, it contained an invitation to a private yacht party in the Mediterranean.
The host?
The Duke of Ashford.
A man whose wealth and influence had shaped European politics for decades.
A man known for eliminating his competitors under the guise of hospitality.
It was an obvious trap.
A setup where accidents would be blamed on the sea, where deaths would be written off as unfortunate drownings.
But Vincent and Anastasia did not decline.
They accepted.
Because declining would mean fear.
And in this world, fear was the same as weakness.
And weakness meant death.