By the time Seraphina and Lucien left the control room, the atmosphere in the hotel had already begun to shift. Guests were no longer relaxed. Conversations had become quieter, tighter, and more controlled. Security personnel moved through the corridors with subtle urgency, trying to restore order without creating panic.
Lucien walked beside Seraphina without speaking. His silence was not uncertain. It was a calculation.
Seraphina kept her phone in her hand. The screen refreshed again, and the numbers dropped. Not sharply, not dramatically, but consistently.
She stopped walking.
Lucien noticed immediately. "What is it?" he asked.
Seraphina turned the screen toward him. The Ashford Group stock line showed a gradual downward curve.
Lucien's eyes narrowed. "That is too controlled," he said.
Seraphina nodded. "Yes. This is not panic selling."
Lucien glanced down the hallway, then back at her. "It is coordinated."
Seraphina's voice remained steady. "It is being guided."
