Chapter 1 - The Marble Floor
The lobby of the Solmere Hotel was designed to impress.
Polished marble floors imported directly from Italy.
Towering white orchids arranged by world-renowned florists.
Crystal chandeliers reflecting the faces of the most powerful people in the city.
Everyone inside this room looked untouchable.
Until the soft hum of classical music was shattered by a sharp, sickening thud.
The entire room suddenly went dead silent.
A young woman, wearing nothing but a faded gray tank top and worn-out jeans, was being violently dragged across the shining floor.
The woman pulling her was Vivian Sterling.
Vivian was a glamorous socialite, draped in an exclusive white silk gown that cost more than most people made in a decade.
Her perfectly manicured nails dug relentlessly into the poor girl’s arm.
The young woman’s hands were scraped raw from the cold, unforgiving marble.
A dark, terrifying bruise covered the left side of her face.
A thin, cruel line of blood stained the corner of her lips, dripping slowly onto the pristine floor.
“Get out!” Vivian shrieked.
Her voice echoed off the high, golden ceilings, making sure every billionaire, CEO, and celebrity in the lobby could hear her.
“People like you don’t belong in places like this!”
She shoved the girl hard, sending her crashing into a velvet luggage cart.
The wealthy guests watched in stunned silence.
Some whispered behind their champagne glasses.
Some looked away in disgust, irritated that a beggar had ruined their afternoon tea.
But no one stepped forward.
No one asked what really happened.
No one cared to know the truth.
They didn't know that the bruised woman lying on the floor was Charlotte Vale.
The sole, rightful heir to the entire Solmere Empire.
The woman who legally owned the billion-dollar hotel they were all standing in.
Charlotte did not cry.
She slowly pushed herself up, ignoring the burning pain in her scraped palms.
She kept her head down, her dark hair falling over her eyes, hiding the cold, calculating fury burning within them.
She had entered the building disguised as a lowly cleaning maid.
She had let Vivian slap her, drag her, and humiliate her.
Because Charlotte knew something none of them did.
This wasn't just a hotel.
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This was a crime scene.
And Vivian was just a pawn in a much deadlier game.
