The grand sunlit foyer of the Sterling estate was filled with powerful figures from all across the city.
Evelyn adjusted her teal satin dress as she looked around the crowded room with heavy anxiety in her heart.
She had only agreed to come to this charity gala for the sake of her young daughter, Lily.
Her former mother-in-law, Eleanor Sterling, had demanded their presence to keep up public appearances for the wealthy family.
Evelyn wanted nothing more than to leave the mansion and cut all ties with the toxic Sterling estate.
She spotted her ex-husband, Richard Sterling, standing near a tall glass ice sculpture in his sharp burgundy suit.
Richard was talking loudly about his corporate empire while holding a crystal glass of expensive champagne in his hand.
Lily clutched Evelyn's hand tightly, feeling nervous around so many loud strangers in the bright hall.
"Mommy, can we go home soon?" Lily asked with a soft and trembling voice.
"Just a few more minutes, sweetie," Evelyn replied gently as she knelt down to reassure her small daughter.
Suddenly, Eleanor stepped over with a cold smile resting on her wrinkled and pale face.
"Make sure the child does not touch anything valuable," Eleanor warned in a sharp tone.
Evelyn stood up straight and looked Eleanor directly in her eyes with total calm defiance.
"Lily knows how to behave herself far better than anyone in this house," Evelyn said quietly.
Eleanor sneered before turning away to greet another group of wealthy local business investors.
Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to control the rising anger inside her chest.
She knew that the Sterling family held deep grudges ever since the messy court divorce settlement.
Richard had lost a huge portion of his trust fund when the judge ruled in Evelyn's favor last year.
He had spent months trying to find a way to humiliate Evelyn and regain control of her asset shares.
A loud crash suddenly echoed through the foyer, instantly silencing the lively background chatter of the guests.