Rico led Calla into the main hall. The room was enormous, with round tables covered in white cloth and gold chairs arranged neatly around them. Soft music floated through the air, and people in elegant dresses and sharp suits chatted quietly, glasses clinking.
He guided her straight to the table reserved for them. Their names were written in shiny gold letters. Calla sat down, trying to calm the flutter in her chest.
Rico took the seat beside her, wearing his usual serious, unreadable expression. But she noticed the small things—how he kept checking on her without making it obvious. The way he picked up her glass, adjusted her napkin, and made sure she had space. Little things that made her feel… seen. It was a side of him she rarely saw.
The event started when the MC, dressed in a shar
