“It is where decisions are made that rarely appear in public records.” He said evenly. “And you will be beside him at the dinner itself—your first field assignment as his assistant.”
I stood completely still.
Me.
In that environment.
Walking beside Rafael Pérez.
Representing him.
Navigating a space built entirely on perception, precision, visual cues I couldn’t access.
One misstep..
One moment of uncertainty—
And it wouldn’t just reflect on me.
It would reflect on him.
“I’m telling you this now,” Ramiro added, gentler this time, “so tomorrow does not take you by surprise.”
I exhaled slowly, forcing my lungs to work again, to draw in air that suddenly felt thinner.
“Understood,” I said, nodding once.
Calm. Collected.
As if my entire life hadn’t just tilted violently in a new direction.
From quiet, controlled routines...
To this.
“I assume I may return to my desk now?”
“Yes,” Ramiro confirmed.
I inclined my head slightly in acknowledgment, then turned toward where I estimated the door to be.
My cane swept forward in a careful arc.
This space was still unfamiliar.
Dangerous in its unpredictability.
I moved slowly. Each step calculated, each sound analyzed.
One step.
Two.
Three—
The cane struck something.
A console table.
