Chapter 4 - The Public CrackTen days before the divorce hearing, Adrian’s firm hosted its annual gala at the Grand Meridian Hotel. It was the premier social event of the financial season—a glittering sea of bespoke tuxedos, flashing camera bulbs, and corporate hypocrisy.
I didn’t plan on attending. But Odessa insisted.
“You can’t watch a house burn from inside the kitchen, Camille,” she told me, handing me a stunning, backless emerald gown that caught the light like crushed glass. “You need to stand in the front row and watch them realize the foundation is made of sand.”
When I walked into the grand ballroom on the arm of Marcus Sterling, Northstar Dominion’s chief legal counsel and my newly appointed corporate shield, the room practically stopped breathing.
Heads turned. Whispers rippled through the crowd like a wave over dry grass.
Adrian, who was standing near the stage laughing with Sienna Vey, froze mid-sentence. His eyes locked onto mine, widening in absolute shock. He saw the emerald dress. He saw the Northstar security pin gleaming on my lapel. And, most terrifyingly of all, he saw Marcus Sterling—the most feared corporate litigator in the country—guiding me gently by the elbow.
Adrian excused himself from Sienna and practically sprinted across the polished marble floor, his face flushed with a mixture of panic and righteous fury.
“Camille?” he hissed, stepping directly into my path. “What the hell are you doing here? And what is he doing with you?” he added, glaring daggers at Marcus.
I looked at him with absolute, chilling detachment. “Good evening, Adrian.”
“Are you out of your mind?” he whispered harshly, keeping his voice low so the surrounding socialites wouldn't overhear. “Showing up here like this? With Northstar lawyers? Have you lost your damn mind? You’re my wife—well, almost divorced—this is completely unprofessional!”
“Unprofessional?” I tilted my head, letting out a quiet, melodic laugh. “Adrian, you spent years telling me I couldn't survive in this industry without you. I thought you’d be proud to see me finally networking.”
Before Adrian could answer, the ballroom loudspeakers chimed. The master of ceremonies tapped the microphone, stepping up to the podium.
“Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin tonight’s keynote, we have a very special announcement regarding the municipal transit infrastructure project. Vance & Associates has officially…”
“Watch this, Adrian,” I whispered, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“…has officially been withdrawn from consideration,” the MC continued, his voice echoing clearly across the silent ballroom. “Furthermore, due to a severe restructuring of proprietary rights and intellectual property audits initiated by Northstar Dominion, all assets associated with the Vance transit bid have been frozen pending a federal investigation into corporate fraud and unauthorized credit collateralization.”
The color drained entirely from Adrian’s face. He staggered back a step, colliding with a passing waiter’s tray.
“No,” Adrian muttered, staring wildly at the stage. “That’s impossible. Meridian approved the line yesterday. The city council locked the contract in—”
“They did,” I said softly, stepping closer so only he could hear my words. “And then Odessa Crane looked at the real creator’s signature, realized the fraud, and took back what was hers.”
May you like
Adrian’s head snapped toward me, his eyes wide with stark, unadulterated terror. “You... what did you do?”
“I didn't do anything, Adrian,” I smiled, adjusting my emerald strap. “I just stopped letting you take the credit.”
Related Stories
