Even as the city lights reflected in my rearview mirror, I knew — this wasn’t just a gala. This was the battlefield. And I had a feeling Ahmir had already drawn the lines. Tonight, I would walk into a room he’d already staged, follow rules he had silently dictated, and try to maintain the illusion that I was still the one in control. And yet, somewhere deep down, I knew that control was already gone.
The car rolled to a slow stop, the roar of the crowd hitting me like heat through glass. Flashes exploded before the door even opened. I inhaled — slow, steady — letting the cool whisper of the AC be my last pocket of calm before stepping into a world he’d arranged. The driver stepped out first, rounding the car, opening the door with a crisp bow.
And then, the noise erupted.
“Ms. Legend! O
