"Between protection and possession lies a very thin line."
—Andre Callahan
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Andre's Point of View
The gala was the same as every other one—rich people dressing in their best, pretending to be charitable while exchanging fake smiles and calculated gestures. The chandeliers dripped with light like liquid gold, the marble floors shone as though polished only to mirror vanity, and the air smelled of whiskey, perfume, cigars, and that bitter-sweet sting of expensive alcohol. Laughter carried in waves, small talks blooming and dying in corners, deals disguised as philanthropy.
I hated coming to these events.
But I couldn't deny they served their purpose. Galas like this were where networks were born, where potential clients revealed themselves, and where enemies slipped with too much champagne.
