Chapter 3 - The Gala of Glass
The charity gala was the social event of the season, a black-tie affair held at the city’s most prestigious ballroom. It was designed by Donatella to be the crowning moment of their year—a night to announce a massive, fictitious acquisition that would have supposedly solidified their status among the city’s elite for the next decade.
I arrived wearing a dress that cost more than their mortgage payment, a sharp, obsidian-colored gown that felt like armor. Oliver didn't even look at me with appreciation; he looked at me like a prop that was finally doing its job.
“Stay close, keep smiling, and don't mention the house,” he whispered, his grip on my elbow tight enough to bruise. “Tonight is about the expansion. If you ruin this, don’t expect me to be kind.”
I smiled—a slow, dangerous smile. “Don’t worry, Oliver. Tonight will be exactly what you deserve.”
The ballroom was filled with the city’s glitterati. Donatella was holding court near the stage, her voice carrying over the music as she bragged about "Oliver’s vision." Every time she spoke, I felt a surge of adrenaline. I watched as the chairman of the board, a man I had been in contact with for weeks, walked toward the stage. He wasn't there to congratulate them; he was there to accept my resignation—and to initiate the board’s takeover.
As Donatella grabbed the microphone, preparing to announce the ‘acquisition,’ the ballroom’s large screens flickered. Instead of a glossy presentation about their company, a series of documents appeared: bank statements, forged signatures, and the bankruptcy filings for the shell companies.
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The room went deathly silent. Donatella stopped mid-sentence. Oliver turned, his face ghostly white as he saw the evidence of his fraud plastered across the walls of the most exclusive room in the city. I walked to the edge of the stage, took the microphone from her trembling hand, and stood in the spotlight.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” I said, my voice echoing, perfectly steady. “The vision you were about to hear about was built on the foundation of my private trust. And as of this morning, that foundation has been withdrawn.”
