Chapter 8 - The Gala of High Society
Despite our legal victory, New York high society was rife with rumors. The media dubbed me "The Cinderelly Nurse"—a gold-digger from Ohio who had manipulated a grieving billionaire into marriage after meeting him on a plane.
To silence the tabloids and establish our status, Julian decided to host the annual Vance Global Charity Gala at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan.
"You don't have to do this if you're uncomfortable," Julian told me as we prepared in our suite.
I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. I was wearing a floor-length emerald green satin gown, adorned with a breathtaking diamond necklace that Julian had gifted me that morning. My hair was styled in soft waves, and my skin glowed with health and confidence.
I was no longer the broken, terrified woman running from an abusive husband with $274 in her pocket.
"I'm not hiding anymore, Julian," I said, turning to him with a confident smile. "Let's show them who we are."
When we arrived at the gala, the flashbulbs of hundreds of photographers exploded like fireworks. Julian held my waist firmly, guiding me past the red carpet with supreme arrogance and pride.
Inside the ballroom, wealthy socialites and corporate executives watched us with sharp, critical eyes. Among them was the retired sitcom actress from our first-class flight—the woman who had mocked Julian and Leo on the plane.
She approached us holding a glass of expensive champagne, a plastic smile plastered across her face.
"Julian, darling!" she purred, looking me up and down with obvious judgment. "And... Mrs. Vance. How unexpected. I remember meeting you in first class. Tell me, Elena, how does a nurse from... Ohio, was it? adjust to managing an estate of this size? Isn't it overwhelming without a background in class?"
The surrounding guests grew quiet, waiting to see if I would crumble under her insult.
Julian opened his mouth to berate her, but I placed a soft hand on his arm, stepping forward with total composure.
"Class isn't measured by the house you live in or the private plane you fly on, ma'am," I said smoothly, my voice echoing clearly for the nearby crowd to hear. "Class is defined by how you treat a crying child when no one is watching. My background as a nurse taught me how to save lives. What has your background taught you?"
The actress's face drained of color, exactly as it had on the airplane. Several prominent board members nearby chuckled softly in approval.
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Julian looked down at me, his gray eyes shining with overwhelming pride and adoration. He leaned in and kissed me deeply right in the middle of the ballroom, ignoring the flashing camera lenses of the press.
"You are incredible," he murmured against my lips.
