Chapter 4: The Gala of Glass Houses
The Sterling Anniversary Gala was the apex of the social season. Hundreds of guests milled about, sipping champagne and waiting for Beatrice Sterling to take the stage.
Beatrice stood in the wings, wearing a gown of midnight blue, looking every bit the queen. She caught sight of Elena and Julian as they entered the ballroom. Elena was wearing a dress that clung to her pregnancy, her head held high, a faint bruise on her cheek covered by makeup, but her posture was regal.
Beatrice’s smile faltered. She’s here.
She stepped onto the stage, the microphone feedback echoing through the hall. "Welcome, friends and partners. Tonight, we celebrate twenty years of the Sterling Foundation’s growth."
She began her speech, full of hollow platitudes about legacy and trust. Then, the giant screens behind her—meant to show a montage of "accomplishments"—flickered. The music cut out.
Instead of photos of charity dinners, a scanned document appeared on the screen: The Original Will of Julian Sterling Sr., dated three weeks before his death, with a signature clearly different from the one Beatrice had filed.
The room erupted in whispers. Beatrice turned, her face turning a sickly, mottled grey.
Julian walked onto the stage. He didn't look like a son addressing his mother. He looked like an executive addressing an employee. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, his voice ringing through the room. "We have discovered a clerical error. Or perhaps, a criminal deception."
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Beatrice lunged for the microphone, but Elena stepped forward, holding a tablet. "I’ve uploaded the audit, Beatrice. The foundation’s accounts are locked. The authorities are on their way."
Beatrice fell to her knees, the midnight blue gown pooling around her like a broken wave. The room was deathly silent, the sound of cameras clicking like gunfire.
