Chapter 4 - The Gala of the Wolves
The invitation arrived in a heavy, cream-colored envelope sealed with black wax bearing the Sterling family crest—a stylized wolf clutching a sword.
It was an invitation to the annual Sterling Foundation Gala at the Seattle Museum of Art. The dress code was black tie, and the card had a single line handwritten in elegant black ink at the bottom: Your presence is requested. Transport will be provided.
Ruby had tried to ignore it, but Dr. Vance had casually mentioned that morning that "Mr. Sterling would be very pleased to see her there." The underlying message was clear: her mother’s continued care, while guaranteed, was tied to her willingness to play along with Arthur’s public relations game.
At 7:00 PM on Saturday, a sleek black Mercedes limousine pulled up outside Ruby’s dilapidated apartment building in South Seattle.
The driver, a polite young man in a clean suit, held the door open for her.
Ruby stepped out of the lobby, feeling entirely absurd. She had spent the last two days searching vintage shops until she found a simple, elegant dark emerald silk slip dress that cost her two weeks' worth of tips. Her hair was styled in soft, classic waves, and she wore her grandmother’s gold chain around her neck. She didn't look like a maid or a server tonight. She looked like a woman who belonged in the high-rise towers of Bellevue.
The museum was surrounded by paparazzi, their camera flashes turning the rainy Seattle night into a strobe-lit circus.
As Ruby stepped out of the limousine, the reporters surged forward, their microphones thrust toward her face.
"Ms. Walker! Is it true you saved Julian Sterling from an abduction?"
"Are you dating Arthur Sterling?"
"How much did the Sterling Foundation pay you?"
Before the questions could overwhelm her, Victor appeared out of the crowd. He placed a large, solid hand on her back, guiding her effortlessly through the security barrier and into the grand lobby of the museum.
The gala was a sea of glittering diamonds, expensive champagne, and quiet, polite laughter. The elite of Seattle—tech billionaires, real estate moguls, and city politicians—moved through the exhibits like sleek predators in evening wear.
"Ms. Walker," Victor whispered as they reached the edge of the ballroom. "Mr. Sterling is waiting for you in the modern art wing. Please follow me."
Ruby followed him through the quiet, softly lit corridors of the museum until they reached a spacious gallery containing a series of massive, dark abstract paintings.
Arthur Sterling stood in the center of the room, holding a glass of scotch. He wore a flawless black tuxedo with a white silk bowtie, his dark hair brushed back, his presence dominating the empty gallery.
Beside him stood a small boy in a miniature tuxedo.
Julian.
The boy looked healthy, his cheeks rosy, his blue eyes bright as he looked around the room. When he saw Ruby, his face lit up with a brilliant, gap-toothed smile.
"Ruby!" he cried, breaking away from his father’s side and running toward her.
Ruby knelt down, her emerald dress rustling against the polished concrete floor, as Julian threw his small arms around her neck.
"Hey, sweetheart," Ruby whispered, holding him tight, a lump forming in her throat. "Look at you. You look like a little prince."
"My dad said you saved me from the bad men," Julian said, looking up at her with wide, innocent eyes. "He said you were a superhero."
Ruby looked up.
Arthur was watching them, his gray eyes softer than she had ever seen them. He walked over, stopping a foot away, his hand resting on Julian’s shoulder.
"You look beautiful, Ruby," Arthur said, his voice a low, intimate rumble.
"I feel like a fraud," Ruby said, standing up and smoothing her dress. "These people... they look at me like I’m a charity case."
"They look at you because you are the only real thing in this room," Arthur said, offering her a glass of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray. "Every person here is wearing a mask. They want my money, my influence, or my downfall. But you... you wanted nothing."
"I still want nothing," Ruby said, taking a sip of the champagne. It was cold, crisp, and tasted like wealth.
Before Arthur could reply, a group of wealthy-looking men in tuxedos approached them, led by a tall, silver-haired man with a sharp, arrogant smile.
"Arthur," the silver-haired man said, his voice dripping with artificial warmth. "A magnificent event. And this... this must be the famous savior of your son."
Arthur’s posture went instantly rigid. His gray eyes turned back into cold stone.
"Richard," Arthur said, his voice dangerous. "I didn't think you would make it tonight."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Richard said, his eyes scanning Ruby with a slimy, calculating gaze. He reached out, grabbing her hand and kissing the back of it. "Richard Vance, Ms. Walker. A pleasure to meet the girl who did what Arthur's entire multi-million dollar security team couldn't."
Ruby pulled her hand back as quickly as she could without being openly rude. "Nice to meet you."
"Richard is the chairman of Vance Holdings," Arthur said, his tone carrying a warning that even Ruby could read. "They control the shipping docks in the southern district."
"And we're very interested in Arthur's new automated terminal project," Richard smiled, his eyes flashing with a cold, corporate malice. "It’s a shame about the security breach at your estate, Arthur. It makes one wonder if the Sterling empire is as... secure as the board believes."
Julian flinched, slipping his small hand into Ruby’s. He was trembling.
Ruby felt a wave of protective anger wash over her. She looked at Richard Vance, her chin tilting upward.
"The Sterling empire is doing just fine, Mr. Vance," Ruby said, her voice clear and carrying across the quiet gallery. "But if you're so worried about security, maybe you should check your own shipping containers. I hear the police are very interested in what’s being smuggled through the southern docks lately."
The smile froze on Richard Vance’s face. The men behind him shifted uncomfortably, their eyes widening.
Arthur’s head turned slowly toward Ruby, a look of profound, dark satisfaction spreading across his features.
"You should listen to Ms. Walker, Richard," Arthur said, his voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a death sentence. "She has a habit of seeing things that people think are hidden. Now, if you'll excuse us, my son needs to rest."
As they walked away, Arthur leaned in close to Ruby, his breath warm against her ear.
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"That was incredibly dangerous, Ruby," he murmured. "And incredibly magnificent."
"I call them like I see them," Ruby shrugged, but her hand was still shaking as Julian gripped it tight, guiding them back into the light of the ballroom.
