As the tension thickened, Gukesh, Uday, Prakash, and Roy stepped forward to greet him, their presence signaling an attempt to uphold decorum. But before any of them could be exchanged, Fabiano raised a gloved hand, halting them in their tracks.
"Apologies," he said coldly, his voice low and clipped, "but I don't have time to waste on exchanging pleasantries."
But despite his voice so low, the complete silence in the room allowed his words to enter the ears of everyone present in the hall.
His words were as sharp as they were dismissive and abrupt. The four men stiffened, their expressions flickering between indignation and restraint. Yet, Fabiano's piercing gaze swept past them, landing directly on Evan.
