The laughter surrounding the long breakfast table continued behind Phei as he crossed the Empyrean Dining Hall.
Phei left all of that behind him.
The private Castellano table waited near the southern windows, removed from the loudest part of the hall but close enough that its occupants had witnessed every brutal second. Morning sunlight spilled across its white linen, silver service, and untouched dishes, lending the scene an almost peaceful elegance that belonged to a different breakfast entirely.
Three people sat there.
Adriana occupied the seat nearest the windows, wearing an expression of elegant composure that would have fooled anyone who had never watched her eyes follow Phei across a room. Her dark hair fell over one shoulder in smooth waves, framing the mature beauty of her face and the faint curve at the corner of her lips.
Brett sat opposite her; he had not looked toward Phei once.
At the head of the table sat Vittorio Castellano, Patriarch of the Castellano family.
