Chapter 2 - The Empire Awakens
The heavy bronze doors of the Grand Obsidian Ballroom didn't just open; they were thrown back with the heavy, echoing thud of supreme authority. The chatter in the hall died instantly as a dozen men in crisp, dark Italian suits lined the entryway, standing at rigid attention. Behind them, the low rumble of high-powered engines vibrated through the marble floorboards, signaling the arrival of a convoy that made the entire venue tremble.
Chloe gasped, stepping back onto her white silk gown, her eyes darting toward the main entrance. "What is this circus?" she spat, though her voice lacked its earlier bite. "Who ordered these guards? Dominic, clear them out! This is my wedding!"
Dominic took a hesitant step forward, clearing his throat to regain a shred of dignity. "Excuse me, gentlemen, this is a private reception. You need to leave before I call security."
"Security?" a voice boomed from the foyer, rich, steady, and carrying the unmistakable weight of unimaginable wealth. "Son, you are looking at security. In fact, you're standing inside the building they protect."
Arthur Vance stepped into the ballroom. Tall, silver-haired, clad in a tailor-made bespoke suit worth more than Chloe’s entire wedding budget, he commanded the room without raising a finger. Behind him walked three top-tier legal representatives carrying leather briefcases, flanked by the chief executive officer of the Vance International Hospitality Group.
Chloe’s mother, Eleanor, scoffed, adjusting her pearl necklace with trembling hands. "And who are you supposed to be? Some rent-a-dad she hired to cover her shame? Look at her! She stole my daughter's ring and tore her own gown trying to hide it!"
Arthur didn't even look at Eleanor. His eyes swept across the room until they landed on me—standing in the center of the crowd, holding my torn dress against my eight-month bump, surrounded by garbage dumped from my purse.
When Arthur’s gaze locked onto my face, the fierce, unyielding aura around him cracked into pure, protective fury.
"Vivienne," he whispered, stepping past the frozen guests and wrapping his heavy cashmere coat over my exposed shoulders. "Are you alright, my child?"
"I'm okay, Dad," I murmured softly, letting out the breath I had been holding for three long years. "It's time."
Dominic’s jaw dropped so low it looked painful. "Dad? Vivienne... what is he talking about? You said your father was a retired government clerk!"
"I said he retired from public service twenty years ago to manage our family estate, Dominic," I said coldly, looking my husband in the eyes for the first time since he abandoned me. "You just never bothered to ask which family estate."
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Arthur turned slowly toward Dominic, Eleanor, and Chloe. The room was so silent you could hear the champagne bubbles bursting in the crystal glasses.
"My name is Arthur Vance," my father announced to the two hundred guests. "Owner and Chairman of Vance Global Holdings. Which means, Chloe Sterling... you are currently standing on my marble floor, breathing my air, and abusing my daughter inside my flagship hotel."
