Chapter 2 - The Frozen Lobby
The black walkie-talkie lay silent on the polished marble floor between Brandon Ross and the young woman he had just violently shoved.
In the background, the framed American flag hung motionless against the grand marble column, reflecting the harsh sunlight streaming through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling glass entrance.
Brandon’s midnight blue tuxedo suddenly felt suffocatingly tight around his neck as his knees buckled, sending a tremor of pure panic straight to his core.
Chief Bodyguard Marcus Vance stood tall in his dark navy suit and sunglasses, his posture as rigid as a military commander executing a high-level field operation.
Behind Marcus, two additional armed security officers stepped out from the black luxury SUV, securing the hotel's entrance perimeter with terrifying efficiency.
Victoria Sterling adjusted her burgundy red blazer, smoothing down her charcoal grey pencil skirt without letting a single tear slip from her eyes.
Her long dark hair fell gracefully over her shoulders as she looked at Brandon, her dark eyes filled with a cold, sovereign authority that chilled the room.
The surrounding crowd of wealthy guests remained completely frozen, their whispers abruptly silenced by the sudden revelation.
"I... I had no idea, Miss Sterling!" Brandon stammered, his voice cracking pitifully as he reached down to grab his fallen radio with trembling hands.
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"You didn't need to know who I was to treat me like a human being, Brandon," Victoria replied softly, her voice echoing clearly across the vast lobby.
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