Sloane's smile faltered. A few viewers posted question marks, but Bradley waved the exchange away before anyone could linger on it. He took Sloane toward the banner for photographs, leaving Loretta and Patricia beside an empty drinks table. Patricia exhaled slowly.
"That's twice," she said.
"Yes. He had a choice both times."
A waiter approached with a tray of sparkling water, and Loretta thanked him before asking his name. He told her he was Julian, a part-time employee studying hospitality management. She asked whether he enjoyed the work, and he described the long evenings and the satisfaction of learning how a large event actually ran. The conversation lasted barely a minute, but Julian's shoulders relaxed as though he had forgotten that a guest might ask him a question about himself.
Near the bar, Benjamin Price was supervising a last-minute repair to one of the terrace heaters. Loretta greeted him from across the room, and he recognized her at once. His smile widened. "You're the lady who asked about the elevator renovation," he said.
"I'm the lady who was told not to use the good glass."
Ben laughed softly, then saw Patricia's face and stopped. "Sorry, ma'am. Didn't mean anything by it."
"I know," Loretta answered. "You were kind to me. That's what I remember."
As the evening continued, Loretta watched the building's employees perform a dozen small acts of competence that went unnoticed by the guests. A young woman caught a slipping tray before the glasses fell. A bartender quietly replaced a broken bottle opener without interrupting service. Julian found a chair for an older visitor whose feet were hurting, while a cleaner wiped spilled champagne off the floor before anyone could slip. Each act made the party look effortless, and not one appeared in Bradley's speech about the people responsible for the company's success.
At eight-thirty, Bradley took the microphone. He thanked the clients, the directors, the sponsors, and himself in different phrases, treating the acquisition as if it were proof that his own leadership had been recognized by the buyers. He mentioned Patricia by name and spoke warmly about the opportunity to take Belmont Row to its next level. Loretta stood near the rear of the terrace, listening as employees applauded because it was easier to applaud than to explain why they were uncomfortable.
"Monday morning is going to be historic," Bradley declared. "By ten o'clock, everything we've worked for will have a name and a new direction. And I can promise you that as your future chief executive, I know exactly how to reward people who belong on the winning team."
The word belong reached Loretta more sharply than the rest of the speech. She remembered being instructed to use the back entrance, even though she had entered through the same doors as every other visitor. She remembered Teresa losing her job because the hierarchy of a water glass mattered more than courtesy. She wondered how many people in the room had been made to feel that belonging depended on Bradley's approval rather than the quality of their work.