Chapter 44 - The Charity Gala
Despite the heightened security, the Valdés estate was scheduled to host a massive charity gala that weekend to benefit the city's children’s hospital. Alejandro wanted to cancel it, but Elena refused.
"If we lock ourselves in this house, we are telling Vargas that we are afraid," Elena argued. "We need to project strength. The city needs to see that the Valdés name is stable and unshakeable."
Alejandro reluctantly agreed, though he turned the gala into a fortress. Every guest was screened, and plainclothes security agents mingled with the socialites.
Elena descended the grand staircase in a stunning, emerald-green evening gown. The scars on her shoulder from the night on the roof were visible, but she wore them like badges of honor. Alejandro, wearing a tailored black tuxedo, waited at the bottom of the stairs.
"You look breathtaking," he murmured, kissing her hand.
May you like
"Let’s show them we aren't hiding," Elena smiled.
The ballroom was filled with music, laughter, and the clinking of champagne glasses. For an hour, the night was perfect. But as Alejandro stepped up to the podium to deliver his speech, the grand crystal doors of the ballroom suddenly shattered.
