Chapter 10 - The Unbroken CircleThe night of the Founders' Gala was the most lavish event the city had seen in decades.
The grand ballroom of the municipal civic center glittered with crystal chandeliers, expensive champagne, and the city's most influential leaders, politicians, and business moguls. The atmosphere was buzzing with electric anticipation as the guests murmured quietly among themselves, waiting for the guest of honor to arrive.
When the massive double doors swung open, every head turned instantly.
Mark walked in first, dressed in an impeccably tailored midnight-blue tuxedo, holding my hand firmly in his.
I didn't wear a designer evening gown designed to hide my past. Instead, I wore a sleek, emerald-silk backless dress that gracefully framed the jagged scar stretching across my ribs—leaving it completely unhidden, proud, and unapologetic.
A breathless hush fell over the crowd.
There were no gasps of horror this time. There were no cruel whispers or mocking laughs. Instead, as the Mayor himself stepped down from the podium to applaud, the entire ballroom erupted into a standing ovation.
Chief Miller stood at attention near the front row, offering a crisp, respectful salute.
May you like
I didn't look down. I didn't flinch. I held my head high, walking with the quiet, devastating grace of a woman who had faced the worst the world had to offer and walked out standing tall.
Victoria Vance was rotting in a prison cell, forgotten by the society she had tried so desperately to rule. But we were standing in the light, completely unbreakable, ready for whatever tomorrow had to bring.
