Chapter 5 - The Glass Shatters
“Dad!”
A frantic, high-pitched voice cut across the ballroom before my father could take another sip of his champagne.
It was Madison. She wasn't holding her glass anymore; she was staring down at her phone, her face completely drained of color. She sprinted across the polished parquet floor, ignoring the gasps of the surrounding guests, and rushed straight up the stage stairs to her father’s side.
“Dad, look at your phone! The corporate account—the entire payroll system just locked up!” she hissed, loud enough for the first few rows of guests to hear. “The bank says all our operational funds have been seized by a primary lien holder! Ethan’s father’s investment firm just tried to wire the venue deposit and the transfer bounced!”
Richard’s smile froze on his face. He lowered the microphone, his eyes darting frantically around the room before landing on the double doors at the back of the hall.
That was when he saw me standing there.
May you like
Wearing my old winter coat, my hair slightly damp from the snow, holding a worn cedar box against my chest like a shield.
The entire room went dead silent as my father slowly lowered the champagne glass, his expression shifting from corporate arrogance to absolute, unadulterated horror.
