She has standards, and unfortunately for several people in the room, charm is not enough to meet them. Emerald Standard understands that a beautiful evening can survive a weak cocktail, but it should never be expected to survive weak conversation.

There is power in refusing to treat pleasure as something that must be earned through exhaustion. She has handled the obligations, carried the expectations, and arrived at an hour that belongs entirely to her. Enjoyment is not indulgence when you have spent all day being dependable.