Chapter 3 - The Gathering of KingsA collective, horrified gasp echoed across the grand rotunda.
Rebecca went dead pale, her jaw trembling with sudden, unadulterated fury. "How dare you! You penniless little tramp! You come into this house and slander my family's name?!"
"That's enough!" Alexander’s voice boomed like thunder, shaking the crystal chandelier above our heads. He stepped directly between Rebecca and me, his broad frame forming an impenetrable wall. "We are going to dinner. Everyone... to the dining hall. Now."
The guests, terrified of crossing the chairman of Russo Global, quickly dispersed toward the grand dining room, whispering frantically amongst themselves.
Victoria glared at me with pure venom before taking Rebecca’s arm. "This is a mistake, Alexander. A catastrophic mistake."
"Go inside, Mother," Alexander said coldly.
As the foyer cleared, Ethan looked up at me, his hazel eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. "Mom... are you going to stay?"
"I'm staying for dinner, sweetheart," I smiled softly, kneeling down to adjust his velvet collar. "And then I'm going to give your father and Rebecca a very special Christmas present."
I took Ethan's small hand in mine, feeling the warmth of his fingers, and walked beside him into the grand formal dining room.
The room was magnificent. A forty-foot mahogany table was set with fine linen, antique silver, and crystal glassware. Surrounding the table were the most powerful figures in the region—federal judges, senior district attorneys, logistics directors, and the primary board members of Russo Global.
Alexander sat at the head of the table. To his right sat his mother, Victoria. To his left sat Rebecca Hale.
I was placed at the far end of the table beside Ethan—a deliberate attempt by Victoria to isolate me from the primary family circle.
I didn't care. In fact, it was the exact position I needed.
As the first course of roasted chestnut soup was served by the uniformed staff, Rebecca leaned over to speak to the gentleman sitting beside her—Judge Arthur Vance of the State Supreme Court.
"We are so grateful you could join us tonight, Judge," Rebecca purred, her voice carrying easily down the table. "Alexander and I were just discussing the new harbor development grant. With the board's unanimous support, we expect to finalize the terminal expansion by January."
"A massive undertaking, Miss Hale," Judge Vance smiled, sipping his wine. "Though I understand there were some regulatory inquiries regarding the offshore shell companies handling the logistics?"
Rebecca waved her hand dismissively, a charming smile on her face. "Oh, minor administrative delays. Our previous financial controller had... questionable ethics. Fortunately, we corrected those issues years ago."
She flicked a sharp, triumphant glance down the table directly at me.
I set my silver spoon down with a soft, deliberate clink.
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"Are you referring to the seven-hundred-thousand-dollar wire transfer made to an untraceable account in Zurich ten years ago, Rebecca?" I asked smoothly.
The entire forty-foot table fell dead silent.
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