11 CHAPTER 11
Moments later, a soft hush rolled over the entrance once again as a new car approached -this time, a white Rolls-Royce, polished to perfection and gleaming under the lights like a pearl among coal.
She emerged from the car like a phantom of grace and vengeance, her figure clothed in a
custom white dress that sparkled subtly under the lights, each step controlled, each
glance precise, No escort, No grand announcement.
She raised her chin defiantly, her voice sharp and soaked in venom. “Step back, Cora,” she
spat. “You’re no longer James’ wife-have you forgotten that? This isn’t your stage anymore, it’s-”
At that moment Emily’s face dropped, confusion setting in.
‘What is she doing here?’ His mind raced.
“She looks… important.”
“Who is that?”
Immediately The valet opened the door gently.
Not a step, they stood perfectly still.
Cora’s hand struck Emily’s face with such force that her head jerked to the side, her balance tipping as she staggered backward, nearly falling in front of the stunned crowd.
Then came the moment the hall had been buzzing about.
He tapped it once, twice but the microphone refused to work. He looked to the event crew, gesturing with urgency, but they only exchanged confused glances. A technician in the wings began fumbling with the equipment, but the damage was done.
Another round of applause erupted across the room. Whispers of admiration circled the hall.
Still, they didn’t move.
17:09 C
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Immediately the crowd erupted in applause.
Yet her presence pulled every breath from the air.
Her voice was quiet, but it sliced through the tension like a blade.
James took the stage with pride, the spotlight following him like it had always belonged
to him. He was handed a golden plaque inscribed with his name, and he faced the
audience with authority.
At that moment Emily turned sharply to the guards as she passed through the gates, her heels clicking with irritation on the marble floor.
“You two,” she hissed through her clenched teeth, “should consider yourselves out of
work once this event is over.”
Without wasting anymore time Emily stood up.
At that moment heads turned. Whispers died.
Everyone followed the sound of the voice.
At that moment her eyes narrowed with disdain before she spun around and strutted into
the building, not bothering to wait for a response.
The sound echoed across the hall like a thunderclap.
“What are you waiting for?” she barked. “I said remove her!”
The massive crystal chandeliers bathed the room in soft gold, reflecting off the tables, wine glasses, and polished shoes of the city’s finest. Dozens of round tables filled the vast space, all seated with elite guests. The press had gathered in clusters, cameras flashing at
timed intervals.
He paused and smiled warmly at Emily in the front row.
‘No. This can’t go on. She’s ruining everything.’
The crowd was now split some frozen in shock, others whispering intensely, a few even beginning to question everything they thought they knew about him.
Without wasting anymore time Emily rushed forward, jaw tight and hands clenched.
spotlight…Was Cora.
Now all eyes turned toward the woman standing beneath the entry lights.
“Are you sure you’re telling the truth, James?”
Inside the Dazzling Red Event Hall, the night was already underway.
At that moment James was burning. His fists clenched at his sides, his lips moving in
silent curses as he gestured for another mic. Still nothing.
Cora kept walking, closer to the stage, unbothered by the growing panic on James’s face.
Whispers rippled through the room like a wave.
A slight pause.
“You…” she whispered. “You slapped me?”
Gasps filled the room, a wine glass somewhere shattered on the floor.
Cora.
“Mr. James Lorenzo!”
A single leg stepped out, followed by a slender silhouette dressed entirely in white.
No sound.
“She wasn’t announced…”
At that moment Cora stepped forward, her heels echoing with each step across the marble floor, her voice clear and sharp.
“Kick her out.”
She was going to stop Cora-drag her out if she had to-before she said another word of this rubbish show.
But before she could respond, five security men rushed in through the side of the hall, alerted by the commotion. Their uniforms were sleek, their expressions unreadable.
Immediately Phones went up. Cameras clicked.
The guards exchanged glances, unease settling on their faces.
“Thank you,” he said into the microphone. “This award means more to me than I can explain. It represents not just success, but faith-faith in growth, in resilience, and in the people who helped me get here.”
The event host had already given the welcome speech, and the mayor had just finished
his formal words.
And then Cora, calm as ice, lifted her hand and pointed not at herself, but at Emily.
The announcer’s voice echoed through the speakers. “And now… the award for Sun River City’s Rising Business Guru goes to…”
Emily blinked in disbelief, her cheek flaming red as she slowly brought her fingers up to
touch it.
He raised the award slightly. “This is for her.”
But then-A single voice cut through the clapping.
The applause halted almost instantly.
Cora stood tall in her white dress, her posture regal, her presence impossible to ignore,
Every movement she made carried the kind of grace that only came from power true
power.
“He tricked his way into every contract. Lied, cheated, manipulated and stood on the
backs of others to climb,” she said. “The only thing James has ever been good at… is
pretending.”
She pointed a trembling, furious finger at Cora. “Throw her out!” she screamed. “Kick her
out of here! Drag her out and beat her into the ground if you have to! She needs to be
made an example of!”
Gasps filled the room.
‘Who let her in?’
Not a flicker of action in their eyes. No radio calls. No movement toward Cora.
“James Lorenzo doesn’t deserve that award,” she said, cutting through the tension like a blade. “He’s a cunning rat in a tailored suit. There are homeless men on these streets more dignified than he is.”
“SLAP!”
James rose confidently, his smile practiced and wide. Emily beamed at him, rising beside him with elegance, gently adjusting the sleeve of his jacket before he moved toward the
stage.
James’s expression darkened the moment he saw her. The smile fell from his face like a
shattered mask.
She turned to the crowd and stood tall, brushing her gown with pride as she straightened up again. “No one gets away with slapping me,” she declared. “No one insults the future
wife of James Lorenzo!”
But the security men didn’t move.
Her heart was racing, her eyes wide with disbelief and fury. She looked at the stage, then at Cora steadily making her way down the aisle like a queen reclaiming her throne.
Emily stormed forward and blocked Cora’s path, her heels screeching slightly against the marble as she planted herself directly in front of her.
He quickly turned toward the side of the stage, signaling for the technician, but when he brought the mic back to his lips, it was dead.
/
“I dedicate this award,” he continued, “to Emily-my girlfriend, my partner, and the woman behind my journey. She’s been the one handling my darkest hours, managing my workload, keeping the business afloat when I doubted myself, and pushing me to reach
beyond.”
Emily’s expression twisted with rage. Her pride had never taken a hit like this, not in
public, not ever.
