Chapter 2 - The Echo in the Grand Hall
Nadine scrambled backward on her knees, the heavy glass beads of her silver gown dragging against the wet hardwood floor. Her expensive updo began to fray, a single strand of blonde hair falling across her fair, rosy forehead as she stared up at the man standing above her.
Elliot effortlessly scooped four-year-old Norah into his broad left arm. The little girl wrapped her small arms around his neck, resting her head against his broad shoulder as if she had done it every day of her life.
Clara stood up slowly from her gold chair. She smoothed down the front of her navy-blue slip dress, stepping beside Elliot. The cold victory in her dark eyes was absolute.
"You... you were supposed to be stripped of your license," Nadine stammered, her voice raspy as she struggled to push herself up using the edge of the dining table. "The board signed the order in Chicago! You were ruined!"
"The board signed what your money bought them, Nadine," Elliot replied softly. His voice didn't rise, but the absolute weight behind it made several nearby guests step back in apprehension. "Unfortunately for you, federal judges don't answer to your family's estate."
A murmur rippled through the surrounding crowd. Prominent society figures who had spent years kissing Nadine's ring began whispering behind their crystal wine glasses, sensing the sudden, violent shift in power.
Nadine's hand trembled violently as she reached into her silver beaded clutch, pulling out a small, high-end smartphone. She frantically tapped the screen, trying to dial her senior corporate attorney.
Before the call could connect, the phone emitted a sharp, high-pitched chime.
A red notification banner flashed across her screen: ALL FAMILY TRUST ACCOUNTS FROZEN BY FEDERAL ORDER. CASE REF: 09-MARSH.
Nadine’s hand went limp once again. The phone tumbled from her fingers, clattering onto the floor beside the shattered champagne glass.
Elliot looked down at her with unyielding indifference. "Your legal team was served thirty minutes ago, Nadine. By sunrise, every asset your late son stole from Clara will be restored to her name."
Nadine looked at Clara, her eyes burning with pure, unadulterated venom. "You think this makes you a mother, Clara? You brought a mercenary into my grandson's memorial hall!"
Clara took one step forward, leaning down until her face was inches from Nadine's terrified expression. "He isn't your grandson's memorial guest, Nadine," Clara whispered, her voice as smooth as ice. "He is Norah's father. And you are finished."
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Elliot turned his broad frame around, guiding Clara and Norah toward the private VIP terrace at the far end of the hall. Two tall men in dark suits stepped out from the shadows of the doorway, subtly blocking Nadine from following them.
As Nadine slumped against the table, her phone on the floor chimed a second time. A text message from an unknown number appeared on the glowing screen: Look at the silver key in your coat pocket.
