Chapter 2 - THE WHISPER OF THE PENDANT
The grand ballroom fell into a suffocating, complete silence as the maid's words hung heavy in the air.
Standing in the center of the polished marble floor, Julian Sterling felt his heart freeze in his chest.
His sister Camille, her hand still raised holding the leather whip, glared at the young maid kneeling at her feet.
"You're lying, you miserable thief!" Camille shrieked, her gold sequin dress shimmering under the crystal chandeliers.
The dark oval pendant rested against the maid's pale collarbone, glowing softly under the hall's warm lights.
Julian took three heavy, deliberate steps toward the kneeling woman, his dark brown suit sharp against the grand backdrop.
"Where did you get that pendant, Sarah?" Julian asked, his voice dropping into an intense, quiet rumble.
Sarah looked up into his eyes, a single tear slipping down her bruised cheek.
"Lady Eleanor gave it to me five years ago in the private wing of St. Jude's Hospital," Sarah whispered softly.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd of high-society guests gathered near the grand archway windows.
A large US flag mounted on a brass stand near the windows swayed slightly in the evening draft.
"My mother died five years ago in a private jet crash over Aspen!" Camille snapped, stepping between Julian and Sarah.
"She didn't die in that crash, Miss Camille," Sarah declared, her voice growing steady and firm.
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Julian reached down, gently helping Sarah to her feet while keeping a protective hand on her shoulder.
"She was hidden away by your father," Sarah revealed, her dark eyes locking onto Julian's shocked face.
