Chapter 39 Exhibit A

• The rest of the afternoon was a blur of forced smiles, discreet hand-holding, and intense networking. We didn't get the sunbathing photo-op, as Maddox spent the entire time in the saloon, using me as a visual accessory while he talked business with his influential peers. He never released his hand from my back, a silent, burning reminder of the "Proximity Rule."
• As evening came, the yacht docked, and the Rolls-Royce whisked us away from the jetty. We returned back to the honeymoon suite.
• The villa was quiet, bathed in the soft, rich colors of the Mediterranean sunset.