ire and Sandra boarded the sleek private jet, the hum of its engines a constant reminder of the journey ahead. Sandra, excited yet trying to appearposed, looked around, marveling at the luxurious interior. ire, on the other hand, was deep in thought, her mind upied with strategies and the uing meeting in Las Vegas. She had decided to bring Sandra along, entrusting Matthew with keeping an eye on both Metacortex and Cryptonic. The hope was that Eligos would stay under the radar, at least for a few days.


    Once settled in her seat, ire''s phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. ire, on the other hand, seemed distracted. Her phone buzzed on the armrest, pulling her attention away from the documents she was skimming through.


    She checked the caller ID and rolled her eyes. It was Matthew Finnegan. Despite the slight annoyance, a small smile tugged at her lips. She was relieved he was still looking out for her, even if it bordered on overprotectiveness.


    Answering the call, ire''s tone was deliberately bored. "Matthew, what is it now?"


    "ire, just checking in," Matthew''s voice was cheerful, but there was an undertone of worry. "Are you sure you don''t want another person to apany you? Just in case?"


    Her eyebrows raised at the mention of "apany". "Hmm...who is this person you are referring to that will apany me?"


    "I don''t know but maybe for an instance, me? I mean I have quite a lot of free time though and I bet I will be very useful to you."


    ire sighed, leaning back in her seat. "For thest time, Matthew, I''ll be fine. Sandra''s with me, and I don''t need a babysitter."


    Matthew, undeterred, continued, "I know you can handle yourself, but... humor me. I just want to make sure you''re safe."


    ire couldn''t help but smile slightly. Despite his annoying persistence, she appreciated his protective nature. "Look, I''m not going to do anything reckless unless I have no other choice. You need to focus on recovering and keeping things under control on your end. Remember Metacortex and Cryptonic will be in your hand."


    "I know, I know," Matthew said, his tone softening. "I just feel guilty, you know, leaving you to deal with all this, especially with Andre showing up out of the blue."


    "Don''t," ire replied firmly. "We''re a team, Matthew. You''re doing what you can, and so am I. We''ll get through this."


    "Okay," Matthew finally relented. "Just... stay safe, alright? And let me know if you need anything." "Will do," ire said, her voice gentler now. "Take care of yourself, Matthew. I''ll see you soon."


    As the call ended, ire exhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts. Sandra, sitting across from her, noticed ire''s subtle change in demeanor.


    "Matthew again?" Sandra asked a hint of amusement in her voice.


    ire opened her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, he''s just being his usual overprotective self."


    Sandra smiled. "It''s nice to have someone who cares that much. Not everyone is so lucky."


    ire gave a small smile, appreciating Sandra''s perspective. "True. But sometimes, I wish he''d back off just a little."


    The two women shared a briefugh before settling into afortable silence, each lost in her own thoughts as the jet prepared for take off.


    Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Alexander was already on the ground, his ne havingnded smoothly just an hour ago. As he looked out the car window, watching the bright lights of the city sh by, his mind was elsewhere. The conversation he had with ire earlier in the week yed back in his head. He knew she would refuse his offer to fly together, but he asked anyway, a part of him hoping for a different answer. "Thinking about ire again?" Christian''s voice broke through his thoughts. Alexander''s right-hand man had a knack for reading him, much to Alexander''s chagrin.


    "Maybe yes or maybe not," Alexander admitted, his tone nonchnt.


    Christian gave him a knowing look. "You still holding onto that hope that things might change between you two?"


    Alexander shrugged, leaning his head back against the seat. "I''m not sure anymore. It just seems like no matter what I do, she''ll always see me as the enemy."


    Christian nodded. "It''s tough, Alex. But you''ve made strides. Maybe it just takes more time."


    "Maybe," Alexander murmured, though he wasn''t entirely convinced.


    The car pulled up to the newly constructed Harris Hotel, an imposing structure of ss and steel that gleamed under the Vegas sun. The driver quickly exited to open the door for Alexander, who stepped out, taking in the view.


    Christian followed, ncing at Alexander. "Nervous?"


    "Not about the opening," Alexander replied. "I just want everything to go perfectly. We''ve got a lot of eyes on us."


    Christian grinned. "And they will. You''ve built something incredible here."


    Alexander gave a small nod, appreciating the encouragement. "I know and in just a few days, that word wille out of their mouth."


    As they entered the hotel, the grandeur of the lobby greeted them, a testament to the hard work that had gone into making this dream a reality.


    "Let''s go check out the final preparations," Alexander said, his mind shifting back to work. "I want every detail perfect before ire arrives. God knows what remarks she will make if she sees things don''t go her way."


    Christian held back a smirk and patted Alex''s shoulder. "I don''t know if you are aware but you do realize that this hotel belongs to you right? Meaning you own this hotel. And why are you worried about what ire thinks?"


    Alexander thought for a moment


    and his best friend''s word sinks in. He thought to himself why is he so worried about what ire thinks? Christian is right, this is his hotel and Alex can do whatever he wants to with his hotel why does he seek ire''s validation?


    Back on the ne, ire and Sandra were going over the itinerary for the weekend. ire was meticulous, wanting to ensure everything was ounted for, especially given the high-profile nature of the event.


    "We''ve got the press conference, the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the g dinner," Sandra listed,


    checking off items on her tablet. "And then the private meetings with the investors.


    ire nodded. "Let''s make sure we have everything lined up. The fewer surprises, the better."


    Sandra smiled. "With you in charge, surprises are unlikely."


    ireughed softly. "I hope you''re right."


    As they continued nning, ire''s


    thoughts drifted momentarily to Alexander Despite their strained rtionship, she knew he waspetent, and she couldn''t deny the part of her that wished things had turned out differently between them.


    The jet began its descent, the lights of Las Vegasing into view. ire straightened up, preparing herself mentally for the days ahead. It was going to be a whirlwind, but ire was ready. With Sandra by her side and Matthew keeping things steady back home, she felt as


    prepared as she could be.


    As the wheels touched down, ire took a deep breath. "Let''s do this," she said, more to herself than anyone else.


    Sandra smiled, closing her tablet. "Ready when you are, ire."


    With that, they disembarked, the bustling energy of Las Vegas already palpable. The next few days would


    be crucial, and ire was determined to make the most of them.