Chapter 94

Elias’s POV

The lounge buzzed with the low, steady murmur of men and women huddled around their notes, quietly rehearsing lines and refining bullet points for their presentations. And yet here I was, leaning back on the plush couch, nursing a steaming cup of coffee as if I had nothing more to worry about than its perfect crema. All of this calm was thanks to my wife—she had organized every last detail flawlessly, from the décor to the timing, leaving me nothing to do but glance over the outline and summaries she’d meticulously prepared. When the time came, all I’d have to do was stand up and speak.

I tapped the side of my phone, hesitating to call her. She was probably busy putting final touches on some detail or confirming last-minute arrangements with the staff. Instead, I unlocked my phone and stared at the screensaver—a still from that very first photograph we ever took tog