Chapter 8 - THE GALA TRAP The Blackwood charity gala glittered beneath hundreds of crystal lights.
Politicians smiled.
Business leaders drank champagne.
Photographers waited for the family everyone believed represented old Chicago power.
They expected Victor and Serena.
Instead, Victor entered alone.
Lily followed under police protection.
Twenty minutes later, Serena appeared.
Red gown.
Diamond necklace.
Perfect smile.
She walked through the ballroom as if nothing had happened.
Then she saw Lily.
Her smile vanished.
“You survived.”
Lily met her eyes.
“So did Ethan.”
Serena laughed.
“You think anyone cares about a nanny?”
Lily lifted the recorder.
“They cared enough to listen.”
Serena turned toward Victor.
“Tell them what you are.”
Victor looked at the cameras.
“I signed documents I didn't read.”
“You funded the clinics.”
“Yes.”
“You funded the security.”
“Yes.”
“You built the system.”
Victor nodded.
“I did.”
Serena smiled.
Then every screen in the ballroom came alive.
Videos of Victor's criminal operations appeared.
Some were real.
Some were edited.
Guests screamed.
Phones came out.
Serena leaned toward him.
“You wanted the truth?”
She smiled.
“Here is all of it.”
Victor did not run.
He could have.
He didn't.
Because hiding his sins had given Serena power.
Lily stepped forward.
“Victor isn't a hero.”
The room went silent.
“He failed.”
She looked directly at Serena.
“But he didn't hurt Ethan.”
Serena's expression twisted.
“You did.”
For the first time, Serena looked afraid.
Then she ran.
Police chased her through the service corridors.
The lights suddenly went out.
The emergency alarm screamed.
Victor's phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
The hospital feed had disappeared.
His blood went cold.
May you like
“Ethan.”
The child was gone.
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