Immediately the room grew more silent, People nearby who were pretending not to listen had now frozen completely, their ears wide open. The weight of Mark's words lingered.
"And Giovanni," Mark continued, still calm but with a subtle hint of steel now creeping into his voice, "with just one phone call just one I could have your parents here on their knees, running like it's an emergency. Because trust me, to receive a call from me would be the greatest privilege of their year."
He said it as if it were a matter of fact. No ego. Just truth.
Cecilia sat still, saying nothing, but a quiet, almost unnoticeable smile curled at the edge of her lips. Evelyn, seated beside her, seemed unaware of the tension, humming quietly as she held onto her mother phone.
Jessica's mouth twitched. She wanted to speak, but her pride held her frozen. All she could do was glance at Giovanni.
Giovanni, however, was no longer smiling.
