Chapter 10 The Penthouse Invitation

• Élise stood on the curb outside her modest apartment block, clutching the handles of her worn suitcase. The landlord’s voice still echoed in her ears .They were cold, clipped, and final. “Two weeks of late rent, Mademoiselle, I cannot extend it anymore.”
• Her chest tightened as she dragged the suitcase down the quiet Parisian street. She had nowhere to go. No family nearby, no friend she trusted enough to ask. For the first time in years, she felt utterly cornered.
• A black sedan slowed beside her, its window rolling down. Antoine’s driver leaned out, his expression unreadable.