The moment hung in the air like a held breath.
Isabella didn't say anything. She didn't need to. She didn't shift her weight, didn't raise her voice.
All she did was tilt her glass slightly in her hand, not even enough to spill it. Just a tilt. A casual gesture. The kind you'd miss if you weren't already watching.
But they were watching.
The men at the table had already gone silent, eyes flicking between each other, trying to read the room and regain some kind of control, something that they could use to their advantage, but unfortunately, they tried and failed.
And that was all Isabella needed as she made her move; a single motion from her hand was all it took.
The response was immediate.
One of the servers to the left turned, walked toward the nearest wall panel, and yanked a small black switch free from behind the curtain.
Instantly, the room lights flickered, not fully off, but just enough to tell anyone who noticed something subtle had just changed.
