Chapter 86
A car drove along the lake before turning toward the private entrance of the Montreux Elite Capital Forum. The building was simple, made of stone and glass, with clean lines and muted steel. Its facade reflected the dark lake and the cloudy winter sky. Security barriers opened without any visible guards. The event didn’t need a big show. Everyone invited already knew what it was about.
Inside the car, the heater made a quiet sound. Franz looked over a brief briefing on his tablet, and the screen’s light highlighted his jaw. He took his time reading it. After finishing the last page, he closed the file and placed the tablet down between them.
Arianne looked at the lake through the window. Montreux at night had a different light than Montclair, even though both cities were in the same country. The lake didn’t reflect the city cleanly. The lights broke apart across the surface instead of holding their shape. It felt colder here. Sharper.
“What’s the schedule after we register?” Franz asked.
“There’s a closed session at 7 PM,” she replied. “There will be a private dinner for the main delegates at 9 PM p>
“And Blackwood p>
“Heard they arrived this afternoon p>
Franz nodded once. He did not ask anything further.
The car stopped under a covered entrance. There were no photographers or press. The Forum kept things private. A staff member in a dark suit opened Arianne’s door first. She stepped out, her heels clicking on the stone, her coat draping neatly over her shoulders. Franz joined her a moment later, adjusting his cuff before they moved forward together.
They did not touch. They did not need to.
The lobby was spacious and quiet, with pale wood and brushed brass walls. Registration desks were set up with plenty of space between them, and staff recognized most guests without needing to check their IDs. Conversations were soft, with low voices and brief, controlled laughter.
Arianne removed her gloves. Franz did the same. They moved toward the registration table, their pace unhurried.
“Ms. Summers. Mr. Rochefort. Welcome back to Montreux,” the registrar said with a polite inclination of his head. “Your credentials are prepared p>
Arianne accepted the slim badge without looking at it. “Thank you p>
The registrar turned to Franz. “The automotive sustainability panel has been moved to tomorrow morning p>
“Noted,” Franz replied. “We’ll adjust accordingly p>
They stepped aside to allow another delegate to approach. Arianne fastened the badge to the inside lapel of her coat, invisible unless one knew where to look. Franz did the same.
The lobby doors to the main conference hall opened at intervals to let small groups in after their security bands were checked. Inside, people could see tall glass walls facing the lake, tables arranged in a hollow rectangle, and soft lighting hanging above like floating panels.
As they walked toward the entrance, Arianne sensed a change in the room’s air before she even saw it. She registered him before she saw him fully. Posture unchanged. Timing intact. He still finished his sentences before turning.
Dominic Blackwood stood at the far end of the hall, talking with two members of a sovereign fund delegation. He stood with correct posture: his shoulders were aligned, and his hands rested loosely at his waist while he listened. He only used one hand to gesture when needed. He wore a simple dark suit, without any extra decorations. There was no lapel pin or other sign of status, just the quiet attention he drew from others.
He did not look toward the door immediately. He finished his sentence first.
“Capital migration isn’t the problem,” he said. “The problem is velocity. If liquidity speeds up without equal regulations, instability grows p>
The government delegate nodded slowly. “What is your solution p>
“Work together before we innovate p>
It was only then that Dominic’s gaze shifted.
He saw Arianne first. The distance between them was small, but it felt planned. His eyes lingered on her face a moment longer than on anyone else. His expression stayed the same. There was no tension. No surprise.
He acknowledged Franz next with a glance. It was a simple recognition.
Arianne did not slow. She met Dominic’s gaze as one would meet any professional equal—directly, without evasion. The contact lasted no more than a second. Then she continued walking.
Franz noticed the exchange. He did not alter his stride.
When Dominic concluded his conversation, he excused himself with a courteous nod and moved toward them. He did not hurry. The delegates he left behind watched him go, then returned to their discussion.
“Ms. Summers,” Dominic said as he approached. His voice carried easily in the quiet room. “Mr. Rochefort p>
“Mr. Blackwood,” Arianne replied.
Franz inclined his head slightly. “Good evening p>
“I trust your travel was smooth,” Dominic said.
“Efficient,” Arianne answered. “Montreux was clear p>
Dominic’s gaze shifted briefly toward the lake beyond the glass wall. “It usually is this time of year. The weather discourages unnecessary movement p>
Franz allowed the faintest hint of agreement to register in his expression. “That may be the point p>
A staff coordinator approached with a tablet. “Mr. Blackwood, the preliminary seating for the roundtable has been updated p>
Dominic accepted the tablet, scanned it once, and returned it. “Understood p>
He looked back at Arianne. “You’re positioned adjacent to the infrastructure bloc. Strategic p>
“That was intentional,” she said.
“I assumed as much p>
Neither of them reached past the words.
“Will the Conway be presenting on sovereign co-investment?” Dominic asked.
“Yes,” Arianne said. “But not tonight. Tonight is structural alignment p>
Dominic inclined his head slightly. “Appropriate p>
Franz glanced at the seating layout displayed on a digital screen near the entrance. “Rochefort will remain in the industrial transition group. We’ve submitted the revised projections p>
“I reviewed them,” Dominic said. “Your margin assumptions were conservative p>
“They were realistic p>
Dominic regarded him for a brief moment. “We’ll see p>
A staff member announced that the hall was open for the initial session. Delegates began moving toward their assigned seats in small, orderly clusters.
He stepped aside just enough to let her pass first.
“We’ll speak after the session,” he said.
“If necessary,” Arianne replied.
Dominic did not respond to the qualification. He moved toward his seat at the opposite end of the central table.
Franz and Arianne walked together along the inner edge of the hollow rectangle. Their seats were placed side by side, facing inward toward the rest of the participants. Across from them sat members of two pension funds and a Middle Eastern sovereign investment authority.
As they settled into their chairs, Franz adjusted the microphone stem in front of him. Arianne placed a slim leather folder on the table and aligned it with the edge.
The moderator, a respected leader of a banking group, opened the meeting. “Welcome, everyone. This forum is private. We will not keep transcripts or summaries. Our goal is to discuss and plan capital flows for the next fiscal cycle p>
The discussion began with a focus on the economy: inflation trends, currency fluctuations, and the costs of transitioning to cleaner energy. Dominic spoke, emphasizing the need for consistent regulations across different regions. His tone was calm, and he did not look at Arianne while he spoke.
“If capital is going to move across borders more easily,” he said, “governance frameworks must reduce obstacles. We cannot wait for problems to fix themselves p>
Arianne listened carefully. When the moderator signaled her, she spoke clearly.
“Coordination needs trust,” she said. “Trust needs transparency. If we don’t have clear reporting structures, alignment will break down because it’s unclear p>
She did not glance at Dominic. She addressed the room instead.
Franz added a clear point. “Industries will adjust to any rules that are set. The key issue is timing. Sudden changes can disrupt supply chains p>
The discussion continued smoothly. Delegates shared their thoughts, made counterarguments, and adjusted their positions. They passed papers along the table. Data appeared briefly on the screens on the walls.
While a representative from a private fund talked about liquidity issues, Dominic leaned back in his chair. He looked around the table and listened to each speaker. When his gaze reached Arianne and Franz, it moved on quickly.
The session lasted almost ninety minutes. When the moderator announced a short break before dinner, everyone in the room felt focused rather than tired.
Chairs moved back on the floor. People began talking again in smaller groups. The glass doors at the back of the hall opened to a terrace that looked out over the lake, letting in the cold air.
Arianne stood up. Franz got up a moment later and adjusted his jacket button.
Dominic approached again and stopped at a respectful distance. “I need to clarify something,” he said.
Arianne turned to face him fully. “About what p>
“The order of the transparency framework you mentioned p>
Franz stayed next to her, neither moving closer nor stepping back.
“Clarify,” Arianne said. She already knew what he was circling.
“Your plan is to report everything before redistributing funds,” Dominic said. “That slows things down p>
“It also makes accountability,” she replied.
“It slows it down p>
“Moving quickly without checking is risky p>
Dominic’s face did not change. “We can handle risks p>
“Not indefinitely p>
A brief silence followed. Delegates moved around, some going to the terrace and others to the dining room.
Franz then spoke in a calm tone. “The bottleneck is temporary if we define the thresholds clearly p>
Dominic looked at him. “What if we don’t p>
“They will be defined,” he replied without emphasis.
Dominic thought for a moment. “Let’s look at the metrics again tomorrow p>
“We will,” Arianne replied.
There was no handshake. No attempt at prolonged exchange.
Franz met Dominic’s gaze briefly.
“Congratulations,” Dominic said to Franz. He nodded and stepped back, letting the crowd take him to another conversation.
Franz turned slightly toward Arianne. “Dinner p>
“Yes p>
They walked into the next room, where long tables were lined up in straight rows instead of a central square. The lighting was softer here, meant for easy conversations rather than presentations.
As they walked, Arianne noticed the change that happened when Dominic came into view. It didn’t feel like discomfort; it was more like recognizing that her balance adjusted to include another steady presence.
Franz did not ask what she was thinking. He did not need to.
At the entrance of the dining room, a staff member showed them to their assigned seats. Dominic sat several seats away from them on the same side of the table. This arrangement allowed for conversation if needed but also provided space to minimize constant interaction.
Wine was poured. The first course was served.
The conversation turned lighter but remained within professional boundaries. A fund manager discussed infrastructure in West Montclair. A delegate outlined renewable targets.
Franz listened more than he talked. He only spoke up when someone asked him about automotive supply chains. When he did respond, his answers were short and based on data.
Arianne answered questions about private capital coordination clearly and without extra details. She did not name Conway. She only mentioned Rochefort in passing.
Halfway through the meal, Dominic commented to someone down the table and briefly looked at her. This was not an invitation but a way to acknowledge her presence.
She met his gaze for a moment before turning back to the conversation next to her.
After dinner ended and guests started to leave for their rooms or gather in the lounge, Franz checked his watch.
“Early start,” he said quietly.
“Yes p>
They picked up their coats from the cloakroom. The lobby was quieter now, with low conversations and the soft sound of footsteps on the stone floor.
As they went outside, the cold air hit their faces. The lake was quiet and dark, sitting beyond the lights of the walkway.
The driver was already waiting.
Before getting into the car, Arianne paused to look out at the water. The building behind them was busy with activity. Inside, people were still talking. Plans were changing, and updates were being made.
Franz stood beside her without speaking.
After a moment, she turned back toward the car.
They entered together, the door closing with a muted thud.
The car drove away from the Forum, its headlights following the curve of the road by the lake.
The Forum lights receded in the rearview mirror.