Chapter 19 - The Final Stand
The Gala proceeded flawlessly. The ballroom was a sea of glittering gowns and expensive tuxedos, the five-course dinner executed with absolute perfection. Emma stood near the back of the ballroom, wearing a sleek earpiece, monitoring the flow of the event.
Suddenly, her radio buzzed. It was security at the front entrance.
"Emma, we have a situation at the main doors. Victoria Vance is here. She’s trying to force her way in, claiming she has a VIP invitation. She’s causing a massive scene."
Emma’s heart skipped a beat. Victoria had been banned, but clearly, her bruised ego couldn't handle being excluded from the most important social event of the year. She was likely trying to crash the party to prove she still had power, or to ruin the evening entirely.
"Do not let her into the ballroom," Emma commanded into her radio. "I am on my way."
Emma walked swiftly through the velvet-lined corridors to the grand entrance. Victoria was standing there, wearing a furious expression and a dress that cost a fortune, screaming at the towering security guards.
"I am a Vance!" Victoria shrieked. "You cannot keep me out of this gala!"
"They aren't keeping you out, Ms. Vance," Emma said, stepping through the security line. "I am."
Victoria stopped screaming. She looked at Emma, recognizing the woman who had ruined her life. But Emma was no longer wearing a maid’s uniform, and she was no longer looking down. She stood tall in a tailored suit, radiating absolute authority.
"You," Victoria sneered, though there was a tremor of genuine fear in her voice. "You're just a maid playing dress-up."
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"I am the Assistant Director of Operations for the Grand Lawson," Emma replied, her voice smooth and terrifyingly calm. "And you are trespassing. If you do not leave this property in exactly ten seconds, I will have you arrested and dragged out in front of the press corps waiting outside."
Victoria searched Emma's eyes for any sign of weakness, any hint of the frightened girl from the lobby. She found nothing but unshakeable steel. Defeated, Victoria turned and walked out the glass doors, disappearing into the night for good.
