The cocktail hour was underway—the social precursor to the formal dinner.
Elizabeth Mellon wasn't one to pass up an opportunity like this to mingle with the other socialites, whether she knew them or not. Before they parted ways, she pointed out their seats for the dinner—at a round table in the very front row, marked with place cards bearing the names Li Wei and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth had her business to attend to, and Li Wei was no exception.
He spotted several familiar faces.
...
'Calm down, Liu Kai,' he muttered to himself. 'This is a golden opportunity.'
He stood by the table, his gaze fixed eagerly on Julian, who sat at the head of the table, and the young man beside him.
He recognized Julian. This was a well-known partner in their investment banking division at JPMorgan Chase, a heavy hitter who orchestrated billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions on a regular basis.
