Chapter 1 - The Shattered Glass and the Cold Dismissal
The pristine white-draped ballroom of the Zenith Foundation’s annual charity gala echoed with polite laughter and the soft clinking of expensive cutlery.
I stood frozen beside the marble pillar, my fingers still gripping the edges of the silver tray even though the weight had vanished.
Shards of crystal glittered across the polished floor like scattered diamonds, soaked in expensive vintage champagne that pooled around the hem of my black uniform dress.
My breath hitched in my chest, a hot tear cutting a lonely path down my cheek as the ambient murmurs of the elite guests abruptly died away.
Across from me stood Beverly Vance, her shimmering beige gown sparkling under the crystal chandeliers, her beaded chain shoulder drapes swaying with her agitated movement.
She looked down at the glittering mess with a mask of absolute disgust, her lip curling into a sneer.
"Some people only belong here to serve," Beverly said, her voice cutting through the heavy silence like a razor blade.
"Do you know how much that cost?"
I opened my mouth to apologize, my throat tightening, but before a single word could escape, a deep, commanding voice boomed from the grand staircase.
"She is my daughter," Julian Vance declared, his steps deliberate and heavy as he descended toward the center of the room in his classic black tuxedo.
The entire crowd gasped, turning collectively toward the foundation’s revered founder.
Julian’s gaze swept over the sea of wealthy donors, his eyes hard as flint.
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"Today reveals who has been stealing from this foundation," Julian announced, raising his hand to point a shaking finger directly at Beverly's terrified face.
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