Giorgio stood by the window, silhouetted against the gray dawn light, his tailored jacket already in place. The excitement on his face was barely concealed—the look of a man who believed his victory was assured, his conquest nearly complete.
"Today's schedule is packed," he announced, turning to face me. "The gowns need their final approval, and the ceremony arrangements have to be reviewed with the Capos."
His tone carried the weight of a declaration—not a request, but a pronouncement of how things would be.
"You're handling it with Silvia, aren't you?" I asked softly, letting the question hang in the air like smoke.
The atmosphere stalled for a fraction of a heartbeat.
He recovered quickly, his smile sliding into place with practiced ease. "Of course. She's more familiar with many of the details. The guest protocols, the seating arrangements for the Commission members—these things require a certain... finesse."