Across town, Ethan stepped out of his car in front of the Summit Grand Hotel.
Cameras flashed.
Executives greeted him.
“Looking sharp, Ethan.”
“Big night.”
“Congratulations in advance.”
Ethan smiled confidently.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
But inside, he was already celebrating.
He entered the ballroom surrounded by executives.
Champagne flowed.
Crystal chandeliers glittered above hundreds of guests.
A large screen displayed the Summit Core Industries logo.
Ethan spotted several board members.
He immediately approached them.
“Mr. Harrison.”
The chairman smiled.
“Ethan. Good to see you.”
“Thank you for having me.”
“You’ve earned your place here.”
Ethan’s smile widened.
“That means a lot.”
He didn’t notice the woman standing near the entrance.
She was wearing a black evening gown and holding a tablet.
Her name was Margaret Ellis.
She had been Clara’s father’s chief legal adviser for twenty-seven years.
And tonight, she was carrying a folder that could destroy Ethan’s career.
Inside that folder was the complete financial history of Summit Core Industries.
Because Ethan had forgotten something.
The company he worked for wasn’t entirely what he thought it was.
Years ago, Clara’s father had quietly invested in Summit Core Industries.
After his death, Clara inherited his controlling interest.
She had never publicly announced it.
Instead, she had placed the shares into a private holding company.
A holding company whose ownership was known only to Clara, her attorneys, and a handful of trusted advisers.
Ethan knew Clara had inherited money.
He didn’t know how much.
More importantly, he didn’t know that the company whose executives he desperately wanted to impress was partly owned by his wife.
Margaret checked her watch.
Then she looked toward the ballroom.
“Tonight,” she whispered, “everything changes.”
Back at home, Clara changed into the red dress.
It fit perfectly.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
For the first time that evening, she didn’t see a woman abandoned by her husband.
She saw the woman she had been before the accident.
Strong.
Capable.
Powerful.
Her assistant, Daniel, arrived twenty minutes later.
He was carrying a small black box.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Clara nodded.
“Absolutely.”
Daniel opened the box.
Inside was a diamond necklace.
It had belonged to Clara’s mother.
“Your father always said you were the strongest person he knew,” Daniel said.
Clara smiled faintly.
“He also said I was too forgiving.”
“Was he wrong?”
Clara looked toward the window.
“I was.”
Daniel closed the box.
“Then tonight isn’t about revenge.”
“No.”
Clara rolled toward the door.
“It’s about truth.”
Part 3 — The Gala
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