The clinking of crystal champagne flutes echoed in the high-vaulted living room of Layla Martine's upscale apartment, a testament to her latest successful jewelry line. Adorned in a sleek, emerald silk gown that hugged every curve, Layla reveled in the admiring glances from her select circle of the city's elite. The air was thick with the fragrance of white gardenias from the towering centerpieces, and laughter mingled with the soft strains of a string quartet.

　　"Darling, ...