Matio Rodriguez
The venue was grand, filled with important people and flashing cameras. I made my way through the crowd, keeping my expression neutral. Ikkari spotted me from across the room, his smile smug and triumphant.
“Ah, Matio! So glad you could make it,” he greeted, clapping me on the shoulder. I gave him a look, that made him reconsider his action.
I forced a smile. “Congratulations on making the Fortune 50.”
He beamed. “It’s all thanks to your support—and, of course, the alliance between our families. Your wife has been a blessing, you
know.”
I clenched my jaw. “Has she?”
“Oh yes,” he chuckled. “She’s been the perfect representation of the merger—graceful, obedient, and lovely. You’ve done well keeping her in check.”
My hands tightened into fists. Keeping her in check? W
