Chapter 7 - THE GALA TRAP
Despite the pending criminal investigation into the sunroom incident, the annual Hale Foundation Charity Gala could not be canceled. It was the premier event of the season, and Leo was legally required to attend as a board member.
Marcus decided it was time to change the narrative.
"You're coming with me," Marcus told Clara.
"I don't have a dress," she protested.
"You will."
When Clara descended the stairs that evening in a sweeping, midnight-blue gown, Marcus lost his breath. She looked regal. She looked like she belonged exactly where she was.
At the gala, the whispers followed them. Vanessa, out on bail and clinging to Leo's arm, approached them with a venomous smile.
"Bringing the help to a black-tie event, Marcus? How progressive," Vanessa sneered.
The room went quiet, waiting for Marcus to react.
Marcus stepped forward, placing a warm, protective hand on Clara’s lower back. "Clara is not just my guest, Vanessa. She is the heart of my home, the bravest woman I know, and my partner in every sense that matters. Which is more than I could ever say for you."
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He didn't yell. He didn't have to. The sheer conviction in his voice shattered Vanessa’s smugness. Clara held her head high, smiling politely at Vanessa, delivering the ultimate insult: indifference.
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