Chapter 7 - The Unraveling of Richard Hale
Richard slammed the champagne glass down onto a cocktail table, the crystal shattering into a thousand glittering shards that sent guests recoiling in shock. He abandoned the stage entirely, stumbling down the wooden steps with his designer suit jacket flying open, his eyes wild with panic.
“Security!” Richard roared, pointing a shaking finger directly at me as he stormed across the room. “Get this lunatic out of here right now! She’s trespassing!”
Not a single security guard moved.
At the edge of the room, Ethan—Madison’s impeccably tailored, heavily financed fiancé—stepped forward, his expression a mixture of profound embarrassment and corporate alarm. “Mr. Hale, what is going on? My father’s banking representatives just called me saying our joint venture accounts have been frozen under a primary trust lien. Who is this girl?”
“She’s nobody!” Madison shrieked, her voice finally returning as she sprinted off the stage, her high heels clicking frantically against the floor. She lunged toward me, her face twisted in pure, venomous fury. “You ungrateful, miserable little thief! What did you steal? What did you do to my dad’s company?”
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I didn't flinch. As she reached out to grab my coat, I simply lifted the cedar box slightly, letting the heavy iron key catch the overhead light.
“I didn't steal anything, Madison,” I said quietly, locking eyes with my sister. “I just finally unlocked what belonged to me.”
