Chapter 5 - The Winter Gala and the Poisoned Toast
The grand ballroom on the second floor of Meridian Tower was breathtaking.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the twenty-foot ceiling, casting prisms of light across hundreds of silk gowns, tailored tuxedos, and glittering diamond necklaces.
A live string quartet played softly from a raised dais, competing with the hum of expensive champagne glasses clinking together.
I stood near the edge of the ballroom, wearing a midnight-blue silk gown that Victoria had somehow procured for me, feeling entirely like an imposter at a masked ball.
Across the room, Lucas was surrounded by a swarm of senior executives and board members, nodding politely while holding a glass of sparkling water.
His eyes flicked across the crowded room, locking onto mine for a fraction of a second before returning to the conversation.
“Stunning, isn't it?” a smooth, melodic voice whispered beside me.
I turned to find Claire Vance standing there, draped in a backless crimson dress that sparkled under the lights.
She held a glass of champagne, her lips curved into a razor-sharp smile that didn't reach her cold eyes.
“It’s very grand,” I replied cautiously, taking a sip of my own water.
“Grand?” Claire laughed softly, taking a step closer, her voice dropping into a venomous hiss.
“It’s a snake pit, my dear. And you’re the newest rabbit dropped into the den.”
“I’m Mr. Bennett’s medical coordinator,” I said firmly.
“Medical coordinator,” Claire scoffed, swirling her champagne.
“Please. Do you really think I don't know why he brought you up to the penthouse? You think a billionaire like Lucas Bennett falls in love with a disgraced nursing dropout who cleans his floors? You’re a novelty, Bailey. A pathetic little stray dog he brought home to spite me.”
“I don't care about his personal life, Ms. Vance,” I replied, holding my ground.
“My only concern is his cardiac recovery.”
Claire’s smile vanished, replaced by a flash of genuine malice.
“Well, then, your medical coordination is about to face its ultimate test,” she whispered, turning away and walking toward the center stage where the ballroom microphone stood.
Before I could process her warning, the room’s lights dimmed, and Claire tapped the microphone, the feedback echoing gently through the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Claire announced, her voice ringing out crystal clear across the ballroom.
“If I could have your attention for a moment. As we celebrate another record-breaking fiscal year for Meridian Tower, I’d like to propose a toast to the man who makes it all possible—my fiancé, and our visionary CEO, Lucas Bennett.”
Murmurs of applause rippled through the crowd as Lucas stepped toward the center stage, looking slightly annoyed by the public display.
Claire raised her glass of champagne high.
“To Lucas. May your heart always remain strong, and your vision clear.”
Lucas raised his glass of water, nodding politely to the crowd, and took a sip.
Within three seconds, the color drained entirely from Lucas’s face.
He dropped his glass, shattering it against the marble floor, and clutched his chest with both hands, gasping for air as he collapsed to his knees.
Panic exploded across the ballroom.
Screams echoed off the crystal chandeliers.
May you like
I pushed through the panicking crowd like a sprinter, my heart leaping into my throat.
Somebody had poisoned him.
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