Elena’s POV

The corridor stretched ahead of me, narrow and dim, with the smell of wine and old carpet hanging in the air. My foot dragged slightly with every step. Each movement sent a sharp ache up my leg, but I didn’t slow down.

Driver Zhang followed close behind. His voice was uneasy. “Miss Elena, the manager still won’t cooperate. He says the rooms are all private.”

I barely looked at him. My heart was beating too fast, the sound loud in my ears. “Whether he cooperates or not, ...