Chapter 2 - The Whispers in the Crowd
A nervous rustle swept through the ballroom as guests shifted on their feet, exchanging hushed whispers behind their silk fans and wine glasses.
"Isn't that his ex-wife?" a woman in emeralds murmured at Table Twelve. "I heard he divorced her after she spent six months hiding away in some facility."
"She was homeless after their split," another guest whispered back. "Why on earth would she show her face at the Sloan Foundation Charity Gala?"
Beside Claire, her coworker Naomi Parker—a brunette woman holding a stack of clipboard pledge forms—stepped close, her face flushed red with protective anger.
"Claire, don't stand in a burning room," Naomi whispered urgently, placing a hand on Claire's shaking shoulder. "They planned this whole thing to humiliate you. Let's walk out right now."
Daniel watched from the elevated stage, satisfied. For three years, he had controlled every narrative about their marriage, telling board members and journalists that Claire was emotionally unstable, financially reckless, and incapable of handling life without his fortune.
He expected her to burst into tears, drop her head in shame, and flee through the side exits as she had done three years ago.
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Instead, Claire’s breathing slowed. Her shoulders squared under the delicate straps of her white silk gown. She didn't drop her gaze.
👉 Click to continue reading and see where Claire looked before making her move.
