Her lips curled into a slow smile. "And what does interest you, Ethan Grey?"

    Zack let out a low whistle, clearly enjoying the exchange, but Ethan remained unfazed.

    He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "Business. Growth. Things that actually matter."

    She tapped her nails against the table, studying him with an almost predatory curiosity. "You sound like a man with a plan."

    "I am."

    She hummed, tilting her head slightly. "Then I suppose I should take this offer seriously."

    "You should," Ethan said without hesitation.

    The confidence in his voice seemed to amuse her further, but there was also a flicker of intrigue in her eyes.

    She leaned back, finally breaking the locked gaze between them as the food arrived.

    Zack, who had been watching the exchange with a smirk, clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough tension. Let''s eat."

    The conversation shifted to lighter topics again, mostly driven by Zack.

    Ethan engaged when necessary, but his focus remained on the deal at hand.

    Once they finished their meals, he leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table.

    "So, do we have a deal?"

    She wiped her lips with a napkin, then set it down gracefully.

    "I''ll need a formal proposal, but I like what I''m hearing. Send the details to my manager, and we''ll set up the promotional campaign."

    Ethan nodded, already expecting that answer. "You''ll have it by tomorrow."

    She smiled, standing up. "Looking forward to it."

    Zack stood as well, shaking her hand. "Always a pleasure."

    Ethan offered a firm handshake, which she held for just a second longer than necessary.

    "You''re an interesting man, Ethan Grey."

    He didn''t react. "So I''ve been told."

    She let out a soft chuckle before turning and walking away, leaving the two men at the table.

    With that, she shut the door, and her car smoothly pulled out of the parking lot, vanishing into the city streets.

    Ethan turned to Zack. "How exactly is she planning to promote it?"

    Zack pulled out his phone as they headed toward the Porsche, his fingers flying across the screen. "You''re about to find out."

    Once inside the car, Zack leaned back in the passenger seat and opened a page on Postgram — the social media platform dominating their world.

    He tilted the phone toward Ethan, revealing a profile with a staggering 8 million followers.

    The bio was simple, sleek, and professional, but what stood out the most were the engagement numbers: 3 accounts followed — which meant she was selective about who she kept in her circle — and a jaw-dropping 12.5 million likes across all posts.

    Ethan scanned the numbers, his fingers drumming lightly against the steering wheel. "She''s got influence," he admitted.

    Zack grinned. "And she knows how to use it. This girl doesn''t just post — she creates trends. One endorsement from her, and people are going to be scrambling to book a stay at our resort before we even officially open."

    Ethan considered that, his mind turning over the possibilities.

    If Ava handled the marketing the way she claimed she would, their resort would skyrocket in popularity before they even had to spend a cent on traditional advertising.

    "Smart move bringing her in," he said, starting the engine.

    Zack smirked. "Of course. I am a genius, after all."

    Ethan ignored his friend''s self-praise and smoothly pulled out of the parking lot. Zack scrolled through Ava''s page while Ethan drove, occasionally humming in approval as he glanced at different posts.

    "She''s already got partnerships with major brands," Zack commented. "Luxury hotels, private jets, designer labels... She doesn''t just promote anything. Only high-end, exclusive stuff."

    Ethan arched a brow. "Which means she wouldn''t have agreed to our deal if she didn''t see potential in it."

    "Exactly," Zack said, grinning. "She''s got an image to protect. If she''s backing us, it''s because she knows it''s going to be big."

    Ethan nodded slightly, satisfied. The resort was already in its final stages, and now, with a powerhouse influencer like Ava on board, their launch would be bigger than anything they had initially anticipated.

    Zack tapped on a post featuring Ava in a luxury suite, sipping a cocktail by an infinity pool. "She''s probably going to do something like this for us. Private shots, behind-the-scenes footage, teasers to get people excited."

    Ethan glanced at the picture, then back at the road. "As long as it brings in the clientele we''re aiming for, I don''t care how she does it."

    Zack stretched out in his seat, clearly pleased with how things were falling into place. "Man, I can already see it — reservations maxed out, exclusive events, VIP guests... We''re about to make a killing."

    "Don''t start celebrating too soon," he said. "We still have to make sure everything runs smoothly."

    Zack laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I know. But, damn, doesn''t it feel good to have everything coming together?"

    Ethan didn''t respond immediately. He simply looked ahead, the glow of the city reflecting in his sharp gaze.