“Look at how he’s positioning himself,” Daniel muttered, his jaw clenching. “The way he’s angled - it’s like he’s performing just for them, but he knows we’re watching.”

As if on cue, Roma’s gaze found their group. That practiced smile shifted into something sharper, more knowing, and he raised his glass in their direction – a gesture dripping with smug confidence.

“Like a conductor who knows the ending before the music starts,” Sophia added grimly.

Just then, two children burst through the crowd - the Peterson twins, their matching winter hats bobbing as they ran up to Roma. Without missing a beat, his demeanor transformed completely.

He crouched down to their level, his face lighting up with genuine warmth as he gave them each an enthusiastic high-five. The girls’ laughter rang out across the plaza as they scampered away, and for a moment, Roma’s smile seemed real - unburdened by strategy or calculation.