Chapter 307

• After the art exhibition wrapped up, I watched Salvador the CEO of Northwatch Holdings leave the gala in high spirits, flanked by his top executives and key political figures. The elite guests trickled out behind him, their conversations buzzing with excitement over the evening’s success. There was no doubt this event had strengthened the Northwatch family’s influence in the capital. Having Salvador himself attend was a prestigious nod that few could claim.
• As I prepared to leave, a sharp sting of dissatisfaction settled in my chest. Cassandra, ever the strategist, had thoughtfully arranged for one of Rafeal’s exclusive paintings to be delivered to Helen a clear gesture to curry favor with an influential matriarch. Yet me her own aunt I had received nothing.
• The paintings had been snapped up quickly by powerful buyers government officials, industry leaders and without my husband’s presence at the gala, I found it difficult to compete in that male-dominated arena. But it wasn’t just about securing a painting on merit. It was about the message. Cassandra could have at least offered me a piece to show that the past was truly behind us. Instead, all I got was a polite curtsy and a cool, “Please take care of yourself, Aunt Heather.”