Chapter 3
|
The music in the immediate vicinity seemed to falter as guests turned their heads toward the commotion. Elena stood perfectly still, maintaining her composure despite the venom being spewed in her direction. She had dealt with difficult clients before, but Cassandra’s rage was entirely disproportionate to the minor accident.
"I apologize again for the accident," Elena reiterated, her tone remaining professional. "If you will allow me, the hotel can fully reimburse you for any cleaning or replacement costs—"
"Reimburse me?" Cassandra sneered, stepping aggressively into Elena's personal space. "You think your pathetic little catering company can reimburse me? You are nothing! You are the dirt on the bottom of my shoes!"
Before Elena could respond, Cassandra’s hand flew upward.
A wealthy socialite thought she could humiliate a maid without consequences. In the middle of the luxury ballroom, driven by a toxic mix of entitlement and sheer malice, Cassandra slapped Elena across the face with terrifying force.
The sound of the impact cracked like a whip through the elegant room. The sheer violence of the blow sent Elena stumbling backward. The silver tray slipped from her grasp, crashing onto the marble floor. Dozens of crystal champagne flutes shattered instantly, the glass exploding outward in a chaotic spray of glittering shards and spilled alcohol.
Elena caught her balance, her hand flying to her cheek. The heavy diamond ring on Cassandra’s finger had caught Elena’s mouth during the strike. A sharp, stinging pain radiated across her jaw, and she could taste the metallic tang of copper.
May you like
The maid's lip began bleeding.
A bright crimson drop ran down her chin, stark and horrifying against her pale skin. The sheer shock of the physical assault left Elena momentarily breathless. Tears of involuntary physical shock filled her eyes, blurring the lights of the crystal chandeliers above. She touched her lip, her fingers coming away stained with her own blood.
