The ballroom shimmered beneath chandeliers that spilled light like
liquid gold—luxury made visible, the kind that existed only in places where money no longer needed to speak.
Music floated through the air—live classical music performed by a small orchestra tucked discreetly beneath the grand staircase. The violins rose and fell with practiced grace, their notes threading through laughter and conversation until even the silence seemed expensive.
Waiters moved with the precision of choreography, silver trays glinting as champagne caught the light. After all, unlike the novels people liked to read, spilling a drink on a guest here didn't lead to romance—it warranted an expensive apology and possibly unemployment.
The crowd glittered with familiar faces, executives, socialites, investors—all smiling just a little widely, each performing the same quiet competition disguised as civility.
