Chapter 2 - The Sound That Stopped a Billionaire
The mechanical chime hung in the heavy air of the grand foyer, silencing the distant murmur of elite guests waiting in the ballroom. Arthur’s eyes locked onto Chloe’s silver clutch, his breathing visibly slowing as his jaw tightened.
"Where did you get that sound?" Arthur asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper that sent a shiver through Elena.
Chloe swallowed hard, clutching the silver strap of her purse tighter. "It's just an alarm. An app on my phone."
"That is no app," Arthur stepped closer, towering over her. "That is the proprietary security ping for the Sterling Family Trust vault. Only three devices in this entire state are synced to it. None of them belong to a freelance stylist."
Elena dropped the torn tulle from her hand, her anger momentarily derailed by her father’s intense reaction. "Dad, what are you talking about? She's nobody. Just the girl hired to manage the wardrobe changes for the gala."
"Am I?" Chloe raised her chin, the initial shock fading from her face, replaced by a chillingly calm demeanor that didn't belong to a terrified employee. She reached slowly into her bag.
"Don't move," Arthur warned, his hand shooting out to grip her wrist before her fingers could pull the device free.
The red ring box still clutched in Elena’s hand felt suddenly heavy. She stared at her father’s rigid posture, noticing the fine tremor in his usually steady fingers. This wasn't just about a ruined dress anymore. The tension in the room snapped into sharp focus as Chloe’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
"You might want to let go of my wrist, Mr. Sterling," Chloe said softly. "Unless you want the live feed of your offshore accounts broadcast to every screen in the ballroom right now."
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Arthur’s face drained of color. He slowly released her arm, his eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and pure, unadulterated panic.
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