Chapter 3 - The Gala of Retaliation
The grand ballroom of the Grand Hyatt in downtown Seattle was a sea of glittering diamonds, custom tuxedos, and high-priced champagne. The annual Parker Global Shareholder Gala was the most exclusive corporate event of the year, attended by the city’s top billionaires, media moguls, and the aging patriarch of the family fortune, Arthur Parker.
Victoria Parker stood near the center ice sculpture, wearing a custom-made crimson silk gown that matched the jewelry she had bought using the company's emergency credit lines. She held a glass of champagne, laughing loudly as she surrounded herself with prominent socialites.
"Oh, yes, Thomas has such big plans for the shipping lines once he takes over as COO on Monday," Victoria bragged, smoothing down her hair. "It's all about moving forward. It’s such a shame about Julian’s wife, Emily. Her health has been so fragile lately... we’re all just praying she makes it through the delivery without any more 'accidents.'"
"Are you praying for my baby, Victoria? Or are you praying for the stairs?" a voice rang out clearly behind her.
The circle of socialites instantly parted.
Emily walked into the center of the ballroom, looking absolutely breathtaking in a form-fitting royal blue maternity gown that proudly accentuated her eight-month baby bump. Her hair was styled in elegant vintage waves, and her skin radiated a flawless, commanding beauty. Beside her stood Julian, his presence towering and absolute, flanked by four elite security guards dressed in identical black suits.
Victoria’s glass trembled slightly, but she quickly recovered her plastic smile. "Emily! Darling, you shouldn't be standing out here in such a crowded room. After your terrible, clumsy fall the other night, you should be in bed!"
"I agree, the room is crowded," Emily said, her voice carrying an absolute authority that silenced the nearby guests. "Which makes it the perfect venue for a demonstration."
Julian stepped up to the main stage, pulling the wireless microphone from the podium. He didn't look at the corporate investors; his eyes were fixed dead onto Victoria and Thomas.
"Ladies and gentlemen, shareholders of Parker Global," Julian’s voice boomed through the high-end audio speakers of the ballroom. "Before we announce the new executive promotions tonight, my wife and I would like to share a private family moment that occurred inside our manor three days ago. It’s a lesson in the core values of the Parker family—loyalty, ambition, and the lengths to which some people will go to secure a fortune."
Thomas Parker, Victoria’s husband, stepped forward from the crowd, his face flushed with anger. "Julian! What is the meaning of this? This is a corporate gala, not a venue for your private domestic stories! Put the microphone down!"
"Turn on the primary projection screens," Emily ordered loudly.
The massive, sixty-foot digital display screens lining the walls of the ballroom instantly flickered to life.
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Instead of the corporate growth charts, the high-definition video from the hidden pinhole camera began to play on a continuous loop. The entire room of five hundred elite guests gasped in raw horror as they watched Victoria creep out of her room and violently shove an eight-month pregnant Emily toward a thirty-foot drop down a marble staircase. The audio feed, enhanced by Julian’s tech team, captured Victoria’s low, frustrated hiss when Emily caught the banister: "Damn it, you lucky btch."*
The ballroom turned into a vacuum of pure, suffocating shock. Victoria’s crimson dress suddenly looked like a stain of blood against the white carpet as every camera phone in the room turned toward her, the flashes blinding her as the wealthy guests backed away from her as if she were infected with a lethal plague.
