Stepping out of the private room, Vivienne tagged along beside Mr. K, words catching in her throat.

"Thank you, Mr. K, for your timely intervention," she managed to say.

Mr. K glanced at her, "No thanks needed. If you really feel the need to thank someone, it's your assistant who deserves it. Without her courage to hold me back, I'd have been none the wiser. Besides, as my business partner, you're crucial to our ongoing bet. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to you."

His ...