Chapter 13
The Grand Meridian ballroom was a sea of glittering chandeliers, expensive evening gowns, and sharply tailored suits.
Standing at the podium on the elevated stage, Victoria Vance looked every bit the picture of corporate elegance in her signature black double-breasted jacket with gold buttons.
A polite, thunderous applause filled the room as she smiled graciously, raising a hand to quiet the influential audience.
Behind her, a massive digital projector screen displayed the glowing logo of her real estate holding firm, ready for her big announcement.
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen," Victoria began, her voice echoing smoothly through the professional sound system. "Tonight marks a historic milestone for our city's development and future prosperity."
backstage, slipping quietly past the catering staging area, the waitress moved like a shadow toward the media control booth.
Her heart hammered against her ribs, but her hands remained remarkably steady as she clutched the wireless transmitter hidden in her pocket.
She reached the heavy wooden door of the control room, only to find it locked from the inside with a red 'Do Not Disturb' light blinking above the frame.
Through the small glass window of the door, she spotted the bulky security guard sitting inside, monitoring the master audio feeds with a radio clamped to his ear.
Panic threatened to overwhelm her for a split second, but she forced herself to take a slow, deep breath, remembering Leo's advice.
She tapped softly on the glass, holding up a tray with a bottle of sparkling water and a crystal glass, adopting the demeanor of an obedient employee.
The guard frowned, muttering a curse under his breath as he stood up and unlocked the door, pulling it open just a few inches.
"I didn't order any water," the guard grunted, glaring down at her with immediate suspicion.
"Compliments of corporate management for the head table," the waitress lied smoothly, tilting the tray forward to block his view of her other hand.
Before the guard could process the excuse, she kicked the heavy metal door open with her boot, slamming it directly into his chest.
The guard stumbled backward, dropping his radio as the waitress lunged forward, pressing the wireless transmitter directly into the USB port of the master broadcast server.
On the massive projector screen in the ballroom, Victoria Vance raised her arms dramatically to deliver her final punchline.
"And so, I am proud to announce the official acquisition and immediate demolition of the historic downtown block starting tomorrow morning!" Victoria declared proudly.
May you like
Suddenly, the projector screen flickered violently, cutting off the corporate presentation and replacing it with a glaring red subtitle: FALSE. FINANCIAL FRAUD AND ARSON PROOFS.
Victoria froze on stage, her mouth still slightly open as the entire ballroom gasped in collective shock.
