Vittoria exhaled, the edges of her silk scarf tightening around her fingers. The Mariahs of the world, for all their talent, thrived on drama. Cancel a €500,000 event? Not on her watch.

“ Subito ,” Luca replied, retreating into the buzz of coordination.

“ Signora , the set crew just discovered a crack in the stage floor at the Palazzo Orsini. The bellissima singer from France, the one with the golden voice— Mariah , she said her name is—she’s demanding we cancel the serata tonight,” Luca’s voice crackled. “She’s not joking. Said her manager threatened to expose the ‘unsafe conditions’ to the press.”