The celebration paused the moment Elena raised her hand.
"It's Clifford," she announced, her tone calm but sharp.
Victor reached for the speaker control and lowered the volume of the music. The soft hum of the jazz tune faded, replaced by sudden silence and curious glances. Elena answered the call and placed it on speaker.
"Hello, Elena?" came Clifford's voice, a bit shaky but trying to sound composed.
"hello," she replied, her face unreadable.
"I don't know if you can recognize the voice... It's Edward Clifford," he added nervously.
"I know," Elena said simply. "Your number is saved."
There was an awkward pause. Then Clifford cleared his throat. "Okay... uh, I know we haven't talked since you called me about selling your shares. I'm really sorry I didn't reach out again after that—"
