She'd looked puzzled by the accusation.
Then composed.
As though she'd spent years learning that the safest response to an unreasonable demand was to remain calm enough to remember exactly what happened.
Antoine opened his eyes.
“Tell counsel to review the notice immediately. They are not to make unsupported allegations or contact her directly again without proper consideration.”
His secretary nodded.
“And the wager?”
He looked toward the signed statement.
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then asked, “What do you think?”
The secretary looked startled.
“Sir?”
“You've worked for me for seventeen years. You've heard the story by now.”
She hesitated.
Then answered carefully.
“I heard that you challenged a waitress to demonstrate Spanish fluency and that several native speakers agreed she succeeded.”
Antoine nodded.
“And?”
His secretary looked toward the desk.
“You made the offer, sir.”
The words were simple.
There was no lecture.
No accusation.
She simply described the facts.
Antoine stared.
Then laughed bitterly.
“Everyone seems remarkably interested in my reputation today.”
His secretary remained quiet.
He looked toward the signed paper again.
For most of his life, Antoine had treated his word as a valuable asset.
He made agreements.
Negotiated contracts.
And expected people to believe that when Antoine Delcourt promised something, he meant it.
Yet the night before, he'd treated a promise as meaningless the moment honoring it became embarrassing.
He looked toward his secretary.
“Arrange for counsel to discuss a lawful, properly documented payment with Miss Marković's advisers. The wager is not to be made conditional on her silence.”
The secretary nodded.
Then Antoine added, “And find out whether the restaurant actually dismissed her.”
His secretary hesitated.
“Why?”
Antoine looked toward the window.
“Because I suspect somebody made that decision to please me.”
He paused.
“And because I need to understand how much damage I caused before I decide what correcting it requires.”
The following afternoon, Elena met Inés Valcárcel in a quiet café near the university.
Inés had requested a meeting with Professor Ibarra's knowledge and had made clear that Elena was free to decline.
She arrived without an entourage.
No expensive portfolio.
No assistants.
Just a woman in a dark coat carrying a leather handbag.
Elena stood when she approached.
“Señora Valcárcel.”
Inés smiled.
“Please. Inés.”
They sat.
For a moment, Elena felt nervous.
This woman managed investment capital large enough to influence major infrastructure projects across Europe.