~ Adrian ~
“The sea bass is exceptionally light this evening, Adrian, don't you think?”
I looked up from my wine, my face a practiced mask of polite interest. Mr. Sterling, one of the primary stakeholders in the Vale-Blackwood merger, was watching me with an intensity that had nothing to do with the quality of the catering. He sat to my right, his tuxedo as sharp and stiff as his demeanor.
“Indeed, Arthur,” I replied, my voice smooth, projecting the effortless confidence of a man who was not currently watching his life erode. “The Foundation always insists on the best for these galas. It’s a matter of standard.”
I took a slow, deliberate sip of the Cabernet, the deep red liquid as dark as my thoughts. To the three hundred members of the city’s elite gathered in the Grand Ballroom, I wa
