"A corporate gathering in Italy?" her father immediately seized upon the detail, his sharp eyes narrowing at the inconsistency. "Specify the nature of this gathering. Was it a high-level assembly significant enough to require your presence in Italy, followed by his subsequent arrival in Sydney?"
Her eyelids sealed shut tightly for a brief duration. Her thoughts retreated to the harsh reality that her primary motivation for traveling to Italy had been entirely unrelated to corporate operations. She had gone there simply to escape the devastating heartbreak following her separation from Nick. Yet disclosing that emotional history before her father tonight remained an absolute impossibility.
A suffocating silence enveloped the private lounge for several moments. Both parents maintained intense, questioning stares upon her, their brows furrowing with growing skepticism.
