Chloe glared at the woman in the white suit with absolute disbelief. No one ever stepped between her and her targets, especially not an uninvited stranger who looked like she belonged in a corporate boardroom rather than a luxury party. Chloe took a step forward, her royal blue gown rustling against the cold marble floor. Her face flushed with anger, making her dark makeup look sharp and menacing in the warm glow of the chandeliers.
Chloe: Get out of my way! How dare you step in front of me like that!
Victoria: Pick that up. You knocked his tray, and you dropped your own glove on the floor.
Chloe: Pick it up? Are you insane? Do you know who I am?
Victoria: I know exactly who you are, Chloe. That does not give you the right to behave like an animal.
Chloe: I own people like you! My father owns this entire building, this land, and every company inside it!
Victoria: Your father owns nothing but debt and cheap lies. And you are standing on my property.
The surrounding crowd gasped loudly at Victoria’s calm statement. Several older board members of the Sterling Enterprise raised their glasses in shock, whispering frantically to their wives. Chloe’s father, Arthur Sterling, was nowhere to be seen in the room, having retreated to the VIP lounge downstairs to negotiate a massive bank loan to cover his failing mortgage debts. Chloe did not know the truth about their financial collapse, so she continued to act like the queen of the city.
Victoria stood completely still, her hands resting calmly at her sides. Her voice had stayed at a low, steady volume that forced everyone around them to lean in to hear every single word. She did not raise her voice because true power never needed to scream. She saw the rage building up inside Chloe, a spoiled daughter who had never heard the word no in her entire life. Victoria had waited a decade for this moment, suffering through cold winters, long legal battles, and the loss of her biological father, who had been Arthur Sterling’s original business partner before being squeezed out illegally.
Chloe raised her hand, pointing her manicured finger directly at Victoria’s face. She was shaking with anger, her teeth clenched tight as she tried to intimidate the calm woman in front of her. But Victoria did not blink. She merely watched the finger, her expression remaining as cool as ice. The ballroom was dead silent now, with even the orchestra stopping their performance to watch the drama unfold on the grand floor.