Cal navigated the familiar corridors of the basement, his mind still consumed by thoughts of Ana. Her name danced on his lips, tinged with her accent -- had it been Russian? He wasn't sure he'd heard it correctly. Lost in thought, he nearly collided with someone once again, a young man hurrying in the opposite direction, but managed to stop himself just in time.

It was the tech lead. "Danny," Cal addressed him, pulling himself back to the present. "You called me?" 

Danny, a nerdy type in his early twenties, nodded eagerly. "Yes sir," he replied, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I just wanted to let you know that the Vanderbuilt operation went off without a hitch. We used advanced encryption techniques to ensure there's no way to trace it back to you or Circus Corp." 

A wave of relief washed over Cal at the news, tempered by a twinge of frustration. This was the news that was worth interupting his meeting with Ana? He took a deep breath, keeping his cool. "Thanks, Danny. You've done good work. Make sure you and the crew get some food and enjoy yourselves."

With that, Cal made his way past Danny and into the room where the rest of the tech team were wrapping up their work, packing away computers and modems. He exchanged polite nods with them before heading over to Marcus, who was waiting on the other side of the room with a puzzled expression.

"Hey Boss," Marcus greeted him with a smile, "I gotta say, I'm surprised to see you down here. I thought you'd be out chasing tail by now." 

Cal wasn't amused by the assumption. He was about to tell Marcus all about the woman, Ana, but he hesitated. He was used to telling Marcus all about his little games when it came to women, and he wasn't sure why this one would be any different, but something felt wrong about it. Perhaps because he had nothing to brag about yet. Instead, he adopted an air of mystery. "I've got my eye on one," he replied cryptically. "Bringing her to the rooftop. Don't wait up." 

With a wink to Marcus, Cal made his exit, ascending the stairs back to the main floor of the hotel. Glancing back into the ballroom, he saw that the auction was in full swing, the guests enjoying themselves, his presence no longer a necessity. Satisfied that his absence would go unnoticed, he hurried to the front desk, leaning in to whisper a request to the concierge. She smiled knowingly, and he slipped her a fifty-dollar bill.

Later, on the rooftop, Cal paced anxiously, his impatience growing with each passing moment. Where was Ana? He had set the scene for a romantic evening, complete with champagne and roses, but she was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she just took a while to find the rooftop access stairway. Finally, the door creaked open behind him, and he turned expectantly, only to be met with disappointment.

It wasn't Ana who stepped out, but another woman -- Claire, as he recalled. A gorgeous blonde, her presence commanding attention as she approached him with a knowing smile.

"I thought I might find you up here," she purred, running a finger up his lapel. "I think it's time we had a little reunion, don't you?"

Cal grimaced. Despite the temptation, he surprised even himself when he declined. "Not tonight, Claire," he replied, his tone firm but polite. He couldn't deny the pull of familiarity, the memories of their previous encounter a few months ago, but tonight was different. Tonight, he longed for something more.

With a sigh, he bid Claire farewell, leaving her to enjoy the cheesecake and champagne as he made his way back inside. Tonight, he would return to his suite alone, his thoughts consumed by the mysterious woman in the gold dress.