The welcome cocktail unfolds in the Caruso Hall with that carefully calibrated elegance characteristic of high-level corporate events. White-gloved waiters circulate with silver trays holding glasses of Prosecco and canapés that probably have French names no one remembers. Conversations float in multiple languages, forming a sophisticated murmur where every laugh sounds measured, every anecdote has a purpose, every handshake is a negotiation disguised as courtesy.
Adrián arrives late, after changing into a dark suit Victoria had prepared with her usual efficiency. She walks at his side in the cream-colored dress she chose specifically for tonight, her hand resting lightly on his arm in a possessive gesture disguised as support. But Adrián barely registers her. His eyes scan the room with
