The air in the grand ballroom of the Astoria Museum of Art crackled with anticipation. Champagne flutes clinked, diamond necklaces glittered under the chandeliers, and the murmur of polite conversation filled the space. It was the Van Derlyn Foundation's annual charity gala, a meticulously orchestrated affair that served as both a social event and a crucial fundraising opportunity. Isabelle, on Julian’s arm, felt a knot of unease tighten in her stomach, a feeling that had become increasingly familiar since her return from Florence.