Chapter 10 - The Flashbulb Storm
The wall of reporters surged forward the moment the doors opened wider, a tidal wave of shouted questions, thrust microphones, and blinding flashbulbs that painted the ballroom in strobe-like flashes of white.
"Julian! Is it true the bride was arrested?"
"Maya! Are you really the woman who supposedly died in Maine five years ago?"
"Who owns the company now? Is the wedding officially off?"
Julian shielded his eyes with a forearm, stepping protectively in front of Maya as the press spilled past the velvet ropes. The security guards hired for the reception were completely overwhelmed, swept aside by the aggressive pack of journalists hungry for the biggest corporate scandal of the decade.
"No comment! Step back!" Julian shouted, his voice lost beneath the roar of overlapping inquiries.
Maya remained remarkably composed, her hand resting calmly on Julian’s arm as she navigated the chaos with practiced grace. She didn't cower from the cameras; instead, she looked directly into the lens of the primary broadcast network camera, knowing that silence would only fuel the media frenzy.
"There will be a formal press statement released by my legal counsel tomorrow morning," Maya announced clearly, her voice cutting through the noise. "All questions regarding the fraudulent marriage, the corporate assets, and the ongoing federal investigation will be answered then."
A reporter thrust a microphone inches from Julian’s face. "Mr. Vance, did you know your fiancée was using a dead woman's identity? Are you facing charges as well?"
Julian stopped, his jaw tightening as he stared down the aggressive reporter. For a second, the instinct to lash out flared in his chest, but he reined it in with disciplined restraint. "I was as much a victim of her deception as anyone in this room," Julian stated firmly. "My focus now is cooperating fully with federal authorities to restore the integrity of my company."
Before the reporter could fire off a follow-up question, a pair of hotel security managers managed to carve a narrow path through the press corps, leading Julian and Maya toward the private service elevators at the back of the ballroom.
May you like
They slipped inside the elevator car just as the doors began to close, cutting off the deafening roar of the media mob. The heavy steel doors locked into place, plunging them into sudden, blessed silence as the car descended toward the subterranean parking garage.
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