The venue was alive with the hum of controlled chaos.
Staff in crisp black uniforms darted across marble floors like water striders, carrying armfuls of white orchids, while Artemis executives adjusted tailored cuffs and Vale representatives exchanged clipped, polite nods in the hallways. Discreet security detail was positioned at every major threshold, ears pinned to subtle acoustic earpieces, eyes tracking movement.
Inside the groom's suite, the air smelled of freshly steamed wool, cedar, and high-end executive cologne.
Cael Alexander stood perfectly still in the center of the expansive suite, staring at his reflection in the floor-to-ceiling glass. Behind him, a master tailor knelt, a yellow measuring tape draped around his neck like a dead snake, delicate fingers pinning the cuff of Cael's dark, bespoke tuxedo jacket.
The silver hands of Cael's wristwatch ticked quietly.
Cael flicked his wrist.
