Chapter 14 - An Unwelcome GhostTwo weeks later, Erin attended a high-profile charity auction at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—an event she once would have attended standing quietly in the shadow of Alexander Grant, holding a glass of wine she didn't want while he networked with corporate elites.
Tonight, she was the guest of honor, seated at the center table alongside prominent philanthropists, city officials, and cultural leaders.
She wore a stunning, backless midnight-blue velvet gown that swept the floor, her dark hair gathered in an intricate French twist accented by a single diamond hairpin.
As she stood up to deliver her keynote address, a commotion near the grand double doors of the ballroom caught the attention of the crowd.
A disheveled man in an ill-fitting, cheap suit was trying to push past the security guards. His face was gaunt, his eyes wild and desperate.
It was Alexander.
He had been released on early parole six months ahead of schedule, looking broken, aged, and utterly desperate. He had heard about the gala through a society blog and had clawed his way into the building, hoping against hope for a lifeline.
“Erin!” Alexander screamed, breaking free from a guard’s grip for a split second, lunging toward the edge of the seated audience. “Erin, please! Just talk to me for two minutes! I have nothing left! I’m begging you!”
The entire ballroom fell into a stunned, breathless silence. Heads whipped around, cameras flashing as gossip columnists scrambled to capture the sensational scene.
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Erin stopped mid-step on her way to the podium.
She didn't flinch. She didn't gasp or look away. She simply turned her head slowly, fixing her cool, unfathomable dark eyes on the pathetic figure standing at the edge of the room.
