~Lorenzo~
The conference room spun in a haze of white noise, voices blurring into a distant roar as the vise clamped my ribs, breath seizing like a trapped animal.
Isabella's pitch... her merger lure, laced with that predatory gleam, faded to static, and my vision tunnelled to pinpricks.
The table edge bit into my palm, knuckles blanching as I gripped it, willing the world to steady. Alessia's chair scraped, her face swimming into focus, alarm etching her features.
"Mr Morano?" she said, voice cutting through the fog, her hand on my arm cool against fevered skin. "Sit, now."
I eased down, the seat hard under me, waves of nausea cresting.
"It's low sugar," I rasped, forcing a weak grin for the room's sake. "I skipped lunch that's why. Can someone get me water, please?"
Clara bolted for a bottle, the group murmuring concern, but Isabella hovered, her eyes narrowing like a hawk spotting weakness.
