Chapter 8 - The Night Before
The rehearsal dinner was held at the exclusive River Club, a private enclave overlooking the city’s historic harbor. The tables were covered in black velvet cloths, lit by hundreds of flickering silver candles that cast a dramatic, theatrical light across the faces of the city’s corporate elite.
Celeste sat at the head of the main table, looking like a queen in a deep crimson cocktail dress. She was holding a glass of vintage champagne, her laughter ringing out across the room as she toasted the combined future of Vance and Vanguard.
James sat beside her, his expression perfectly composed, a model of a supportive, successful groom.
Across the table, Richard Vance raised his glass, his ancient eyes locking onto James with a cold, predatory gleam. "To the contract of the century, James. May the signatures be as permanent as the architecture we are building."
"To the contract, Richard," James replied, clinking his glass against the older man’s with a clean, clear ring that sounded like a small bell.
At nine-forty-five, Celeste excused herself to go to the powder room. James watched her leave, then glanced toward the service entrance near the kitchen.
Maya was standing near the tray rack, wearing a small black velvet dress her mother had bought her for the occasion. She had her small notebook tucked under her arm, her eyes fixed on Celeste’s retreating figure. She followed her into the quiet, carpeted VIP lounge behind the main dining room.
James stood up slowly, stepping away from the table while Richard Vance was distracted by a conversation with a city councilman. He slipped through the service door, his footsteps silent against the thick carpet.
Inside the VIP lounge, Celeste was standing near the window, her phone pressed to her ear, her voice a low, frantic hiss.
"The notary has the documents, Richard," she said, unaware that the door had swung open an inch behind her. "He’s standing by in the lobby. James is going to sign right after the main toast during the reception. The fake code-trust document he thinks he’s protecting is already isolated. Once he signs, Arthur will lock him out of the main server framework."
A small cough broke the silence of the room.
Celeste spun around, her face instantly turning pale as she saw Maya standing in the doorway, a yellow pencil held firmly in her hand, her black notebook open to a fresh page.
"What are you doing in here?" Celeste snapped, her aristocratic voice losing its smooth veneer, replaced by a sharp, ugly snarl. "Get out. This is a private room for important guests."
Maya didn't move. She looked at Celeste with those steady, unbothered dark eyes. "You're talking to the old man again. You always talk to him when you think nobody is looking."
Celeste took a sharp step forward, her fingers tightening around her phone. "Listen to me, you little brat—"
"Is there a problem in here?"
James stepped into the room, his large frame filling the doorway, his eyes locking onto Celeste with a cold, dangerous intensity that made her freeze mid-stride.
Celeste’s expression instantly dissolved back into a soft, worried smile. "Oh, James, darling... no, no problem at all. This little girl just wandered into the private lounge by accident. I was just telling her she should go find her mother."
May you like
James walked over, kneeling down beside Maya and gently taking the black notebook from her hand. He closed it with a deliberate snap and slipped it into his dinner jacket pocket.
"She didn't wander in by accident, Celeste," James said, standing up and looking down at his fiancée. "She was just finalizing her audit. Let's go back to the table. Our guests are waiting for the final toast."
