Chapter 4 - The Ascent to the Stage
Victoria didn't wait for Julian to finish his sentence. She turned on her heel, hiking up the heavy hem of her silver dress, and sprinted toward the grand staircase that curved upward toward the main ballroom. Her lungs burned with every breath, and the stiletto heels battered her arches, but adrenaline drowned out the physical pain. She had to reach the wings before Chloe opened her mouth. If that speech went live, there would be no recovery, no polite silence, no family dinners to smooth over the cracks.
As she rounded the polished oak banister, she collided hard with a passing waiter, sending a cascade of hors d'oeuvres tumbling to the carpet. She didn't stop to apologize. She simply shoved past the bewildered man, her eyes fixed on the heavy mahogany doors of the ballroom, which stood slightly ajar.
Through the crack, the low murmur of hundreds of invited guests filled the hallway. Then came the clear, amplified chime of a microphone being tapped.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished patrons, and members of the board," Chloe’s voice rang out, remarkably steady and rich, carrying through the heavy wood.
Victoria threw her weight against the door, pushing it open just enough to slip into the darkened wings of the stage. The vast auditorium stretched out before her like a cavernous sea of black velvet and glittering jewelry. Hundreds of faces were turned toward the stage, bathed in the glow of the spotlights.
Chloe stood at the center of the podium, looking every bit the corporate executive rather than the banquet server from twenty minutes ago. In her hand, she held a thick manila folder.
"Before we celebrate the philanthropy of this grand institution tonight," Chloe continued, her gaze sweeping calmly across the sea of wealthy patrons, "we need to address a fundamental misunderstanding about where this year’s charity funds actually originated."
Victoria crept out of the shadows of the wings, taking a slow, trembling step toward the edge of the stage, her hand raised as if to silence her.
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"Stop right there," Victoria hissed loudly from the side of the stage, her voice accidentally catching the edge of a stray boundary microphone, broadcasting her threat to the entire room.
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