POV: Seraphina
The air in the ballroom had grown thick, mixed with the smell of expensive perfumes and the metallic tang taste of a looming storm. It was the scent of a falling empire.
A deep, amused sound passed through the stunned crowd, followed by a slow, steady clap that echoed from the grand entrance.
As every head turned as if pulled by a single string. A tall man stepped forward, his suit looking sharp but his face ashen. He was clutching a tablet like it was a live grenade.
He was a senior executive from Carter Group, a man who had spent ten years bowing to my father.
"Miss Carter…" he stammered, his voice thin and shaky. "There's… something you need to see."
The massive LED screens behind the stage, originally meant to display a montage of my "fairytale" romance with Elias, were turned on, and they hummed to life. Then, the video began.
