Chapter 11 - The Announcement
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Derek’s smug smirk flickered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly smoothed it over, taking a slow sip of his vintage champagne.
“Make it quick,” he repeated lazily, waving his hand as if dismissing a servant.
I adjusted the microphone, ensuring my voice carried to every single corner of the ballroom.
“My new husband thinks what happened with the wedding cake five minutes ago was funny,” I declared into the mic.
The entire ballroom fell into an eerie, uncomfortable quiet. Fork tines stopped clinking against china. The chatter died completely.
Derek’s smile tightened into a flat line. He sat up straight in his chair.
“Claire,” he said, his tone carrying a sharp, dangerous warning.
“Sit down right now.”
“I’d like everyone in this room to hear what happened immediately afterward in the hallway,” I continued smoothly, ignoring him entirely.
On the far side of the room, near the sound technician’s booth, Lena plugged her phone directly into the main auxiliary input of the house audio system.
Derek stood up so fast his heavy chair slid backward, screeching loudly against the floorboards.
“What the hell are you doing? Turn that off!” he shouted, taking two aggressive steps toward the DJ booth.
Before he could take another step, a voice boomed from the overhead speakers—loud, crystal clear, and instantly recognizable.
It was Derek’s recorded voice:
Smile, Claire. Don’t embarrass me.
May you like
Then came the sharp sound of the physical impact, followed by his lower whisper:
Good girl.
