Chapter 7
By late afternoon, the Grand Astoria was undergoing a frantic, glittering metamorphosis. The ground-floor ballroom had been transformed into a baroque wonderland of white orchids, cascading ice sculptures, and thousands of twinkling fairy lights woven into imported Italian drapery. Caterers in black tie darted between tables setting out crystal glassware and silver service, while lighting technicians fine-tuned the ambient warmth of the chandeliers.
Up in the penthouse, Maya stood before her dressing mirror as a private stylist carefully adjusted the folds of an emerald-green silk velvet evening gown that swept the floor with quiet majesty. The dress was a statement—unapologetic, rich, and commanding. She fastened a pair of vintage diamond drop earrings that caught the light with every subtle movement of her head. Despite the chaos downstairs, her heart rate remained slow, disciplined through years of high-stakes battles where panic was an expensive luxury she could never afford.
There was a soft knock at the penthouse door, and David entered, holding a black leather portfolio under his arm. He looked sharp in his tailored tuxedo, though the lines of worry around his eyes hadn't faded.
"Security sweep of the ballroom is complete," David reported, leaning against the doorframe. "Sarah has stationed our own vetted personnel at all VIP access points. Sterling is locked out of the operational loop for the evening—I reassigned his duties to the assistant director of guest relations, a woman named Elena Vance, who actually understands the twenty-first century."
"Good," Maya said, turning from the mirror to face her brother. "How is the board reacting to Sterling’s sideline?"
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"They’re terrified," David chuckled dryly. "They think you’re staging a revolution on the eve of the biggest financial announcement of the decade. But honestly, Maya, watching you dismantle that boys' club piece by piece has been the most satisfying thing I've witnessed in years."
"This isn't about satisfaction, David," Maya said softly, walking over to pour two glasses of sparkling mineral water. "It’s about survival. If we want the Grand Astoria to lead the global market with our expansion into London and Paris, we can’t afford to carry the baggage of old prejudices. The people who think wealth has a specific skin color are living in the past. And I am not in the business of preserving museums for bigots."
