Chapter 3 - The Runway Standoff
"Chain of command?" Elena asked, her voice steady and ringing with quiet authority. "You mean the chain of command you used to pocket two hundred thousand dollars in vendor kickbacks last month?"
The surrounding stylists and executive board members gasped, whispering frantically among themselves.
Camille’s eyes darted nervously toward the exit. "That's a lie! She's fabricating stories to cover up her own insubordination!"
"Is it?" Elena pulled a small, silver flash drive from the hidden pocket of her black gown and handed it directly to her father. "Every invoice you altered, every supplier you overcharged, and every design you stole from junior assistants over the past three years is archived right here."
Julian took the flash drive, his expression growing darker by the second. He turned to his head of security, who was standing at the entrance of the backstage suite.
"Lock the doors," Julian commanded firmly. "No one enters or leaves this dressing room until the police arrive."
"Wait!" Camille shrieked, her voice cracking with desperation. "Mr. Vance, you can't do this right now! The show starts in five minutes! The international press, the buyers, and the celebrity guests are sitting out there right now! If I don't walk out to introduce the finale, the entire collection will fail!"
Elena looked down at the shredded white gown on the floor, then looked up into Camille's eyes with a cold, victorious smile.
"The finale isn't yours anymore, Camille," Elena said quietly. "It never was."
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The heavy double doors leading to the main runway opened, and the booming sound of the opening runway music echoed into the backstage room. Light flooded the hallway as hundreds of camera flashes began stroking the curtain seams.
👉 Click to continue reading and see how Elena took over the Paris Fashion Week finale.
