Chapter 5 - The Gala of Deceit
To celebrate its annual charity foundation, Kincaid Global hosted a grand black-tie gala at the Metropolitan Art Museum. It was the premier event of the season, attended by senators, billionaires, and high-society elites.
Miles knew Eleanor Vance would be there. It was the perfect stage to force her hand publicly before the media.
When Miles stepped out of his limousine, he wasn't alone. Dressed in an emerald-green silk gown that complemented her dark hair, Marina walked beside him. Her posture was graceful, her presence regal. She was no longer the exhausted housekeeper at the gate; she was an heiress stepping back into her light.
"Nervous?" Miles asked gently, offering his arm.
"Terrified," Marina admitted, sliding her hand through his. "But with you, I feel like I can stand."
As they entered the grand ballroom, whispers rippled through the crowd. Reporters' flashes went off like lightning bolts. The sudden appearance of Marina Vance—who had been rumored to be missing or ill—beside Miles Kincaid was the ultimate scandal.
Across the room, Eleanor standing near a champagne fountain, her glass trembling in her hand. Julian stood beside her, his face dark with rage.
Miles led Marina toward the center stage, where he was scheduled to give the keynote speech. However, before he could reach the microphone, Julian stepped into their path, a half-empty glass of scotch in his hand.
"Look at you," Julian sneered loudly, attracting the attention of nearby guests and journalists. "Playing the grand lady, Marina? Tell me, Kincaid, how much are you paying her? Or is she servicing the widowed billionaire to earn her keep?"
Gasps erupted around the hall. Cameras turned toward them immediately.
Miles stepped in front of Marina, his chest rising with lethal fury. But before he could land a punch, Marina smoothly stepped around Miles, holding her head high.
SMACK.
The sound of her palm striking Julian’s face echoed across the quieted ballroom.
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"I earned my place through blood, sweat, and my father's legacy, Julian," Marina declared in a voice that carried to every microphone in the room. "Unlike you, who tried to bury the truth to fill your own pockets."
Before Julian could react, security guards swarmed him, pinning his arms behind his back under Miles' silent command.
