Lucien ascended the grand staircase to the second floor, where the more private, serious conversations of the night were taking place. The room was quieter, filled with a handful of guests who were deep in discussion. He spotted his business partner, Vincent, near the balcony, engaged in a conversation with another guest. Lucien approached, and Vincent turned to greet him with a smile.
"Lucien, glad you could join us," Vincent said, extending his hand. "I was just talking about our latest venture."
"Vincent," Lucien greeted, shaking his hand firmly. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. How are things progressing?"
Vincent gestured for Lucien to follow him to a more secluded corner of the room. "Everything is on track. We've secured the funding, and the prototype is nearly complete. We're looking at a launch date in the next six months."
"That's excellent news," Lucien replied, nodding. "And what about the distribution channels? Have we finalized those partnerships?"
"Most of them, yes," Vincent said, taking a sip of his drink. "We're still negotiating with a few key players, but I'm confident we'll have everything locked down soon."
Lucien leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "And the patents? We can't afford any leaks at this stage."
"All taken care of," Vincent assured him. "Our legal team has been very thorough. No one outside of our inner circle knows the full details."
"Good," Lucien said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "This project is crucial. We need to stay ahead of the competition, especially with those new players trying to enter the market."
Vincent nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. We've invested too much to let anything slip now. Speaking of competition, have you heard anything about Avalon Corp's latest move?"
Lucien's expression darkened at the mention of their rival. "I've heard rumors. They're always trying to outmaneuver us, but they won't succeed. We're too far ahead."
"That's the spirit," Vincent said with a grin. "By the way, how's Ethan adjusting to his new role?"
Lucien's demeanor softened slightly. "He's... adjusting. It's a lot for him to take in, but I think he'll be an asset once he finds his footing."
Vincent raised an eyebrow. "I've heard he's got potential. Just needs some guidance, perhaps?"
"Yes," Lucien replied, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "And I'm making sure he gets it."
Vincent chuckled. "I'm sure you are. Just don't be too hard on him. We could use his fresh perspective."
"I'll keep that in mind," Lucien said. He glanced around the room, his eyes returning to Vincent. "Let's get back to the main point. What do you think of our chances with the international markets?"
"Promising," Vincent said, his tone turning serious again. "We've got strong interest from Europe and Asia. If we play our cards right, we could dominate those markets within the next year."
Lucien nodded thoughtfully. "We need to ensure our marketing strategy is as aggressive as our development. No room for complacency."
"Agreed," Vincent replied. "I'll have the team work on some proposals and we'll review them together next week."
"Sounds like a plan," Lucien said, finishing his drink. "Let's make sure we stay ahead. There's too much at stake to let anything slip."
Vincent clinked his glass against Lucien's. "To our success, then."
"To our success," Lucien echoed, both men sharing a look of determination before returning to the party.
---
Lucien had just finished his business upstairs and was making his way back to the party. As he descended the staircase, his sharp eyes scanned the room for Ethan. His brow furrowed when he couldn't spot him where he'd left him. A feeling of unease settled in his chest.
Lucien approached Mr. Robert, who was standing by the entrance, keeping an eye on things. "Have you seen Ethan?" Lucien asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
Mr. Robert shook his head. "Not in the last few minutes, sir. He was by the bar when I last saw him."
Lucien's unease grew into alarm. He turned and began searching the room, pushing through the crowd with a sense of urgency. His eyes darted around, looking for any sign of Ethan.
As he passed by a secluded hallway, a faint noise caught his attention. He stopped, listening closely. The muffled sound of movement came from behind one of the doors. Lucien's heart raced as he quietly approached the door, pressing his ear against it.
He could hear someone moving inside, along with Ethan's weak, slurred voice. Without hesitation, Lucien pushed the door open, stepping inside. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light, and he saw James standing over a nearly unconscious Ethan.
"What the hell are you doing?" Lucien's voice was cold and dangerous, filled with barely contained fury.
James turned, surprise flashing across his face before he tried to mask it with a smirk. "Just helping him out. He looked like he needed some rest."
Lucien's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching at his sides. "Get away from him. Now."
James hesitated, then backed away with a sneer. "Fine. He's all yours."
Lucien moved to Ethan's side, his anger giving way to concern as he saw the state Ethan was in. He gently shook him, trying to rouse him. "Ethan, can you hear me?"
Ethan's eyes fluttered open briefly, a look of relief washing over his face when he saw Lucien. "L-Lucien..."
"I'm here," Lucien said softly, his voice gentle. "I've got you."
He glared at James one last time before scooping Ethan up into his arms. "You're done here,. Don't ever let me see you near him again."
James shrugged nonchalantly, but Lucien could see the fear in his eyes. As Lucien carried Ethan out of the room, he knew he would make sure James paid for what he had done. For now, though, his focus was on getting Ethan to safety and making sure he was okay.