The gala continued for another two hours.
Crystal light from the chandeliers above the Wynn Macau ballroom slid across polished marble and caught on glass. Waiters moved between tables with trays. Politicians laughed. Bankers talked in low voices about percentages. Cameras flashed every few seconds. The room smelled like expensive cologne, champagne, and money.
I stood near the stage and delivered a brief speech. My voice carried. I thanked the city. I thanked the Mayor. I talked about infrastructure, about schools, about hospitals in the Outer Harbour. Then I presented the oversized novelty check to the Mayor. Fifty million dollars. Black numbers on white board. The cameras pointed at it. The Mayor shook my hand with both of his and smiled for every lens in the room.
