Chapter 5 - The Confrontation at the Club
Three weeks later, the annual Charity Gala for the Children’s Hospital was held at the Bellevue Country Club. It was the social event of the year, and Vivian Cole was the honorary chairperson.
She stood in the center of the grand ballroom, wearing an emerald green silk gown that matched her cold eyes, dripping in diamonds that had been bought with stolen pension funds. Daniel stood beside her, looking dashing in a tailored tuxedo, playing the role of the grieving husband whose wife was "recovering from a tragic kitchen accident in a private facility."
I watched them from the balcony above.
I was no longer wearing bandages. Underneath my high-necked, long-sleeved black velvet gown, the scars were hidden, but the strength was visible. My hair was swept up, my makeup flawless. I looked like the elite corporate attorney I used to be, not the broken housewife they tried to create.
“Are you ready?” Rachel whispered beside me. She was holding a tablet connected to the ballroom’s main projection system.
“I’ve been ready for two years,” I said.
I walked down the grand staircase. The clinking of champagne glasses and the low murmur of polite conversation filled the air. As I reached the floor, a few guests noticed me and gasped.
Daniel was mid-sentence, laughing with a local city councilman, when his eyes met mine. His glass froze halfway to his mouth.
Vivian turned, her smile faltering as she saw me approaching.
“Clara!” Daniel hissed, quickly stepping forward to intercept me. He reached for my arm, but I stepped back, out of his reach, keeping my expression perfectly calm. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in rehab. You’re not well.”
“I’ve never been better, Daniel,” I said, my voice carrying just enough to draw the attention of the nearby guests.
Vivian glided over, her eyes flashing with venom despite the tight smile plastered on her face. “Clara, dear, you shouldn't be out in public. The shock of your... accident... has clearly left you confused. Let Daniel take you home.”
“The only place Daniel is going is a federal holding cell, Vivian,” I said clearly.
The surrounding crowd went silent. The city councilman stepped back, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
“How dare you!” Vivian whispered, her voice shaking with rage. “After everything we’ve done for you. You clumsy, ungrateful girl.”
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“Let’s talk about that clumsiness, shall we?” I said.
I nodded to Rachel, who was standing near the tech booth at the back of the hall.
