The total shock of the attack left Sarah frozen for a split second as the cold air of the ballroom hit her bare skin. She looked down at her red dress lying ruined around her ankles, then up at the sea of faces staring back at her. Some guests turned their heads in second-hand embarrassment, while others stared directly at her exposed body with cruel curiosity. Eleanor stood towering over her, her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her breathing heavy as she sneered down at Sarah. She screamed at the security guards standing near the doors to come forward and search Sarah's body and tiny purse immediately. Eleanor claimed that Sarah was hiding the stolen diamond necklace in her undergarments, determined to prove her theory no matter the cost. Sarah felt hot tears sting her eyes, but she forced them back, refusing to give Eleanor the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Her hands shook violently, yet she raised her chin, covering her belly with one arm as her eyes searched for Marcus. She expected her husband to jump in, to cover her up, to scream at his mother for committing such an unthinkable assault. But Marcus just stood there, his face completely pale, paralyzed by his lifelong fear of losing his mother's multi-million dollar inheritance.
Marcus finally stepped toward Sarah, but instead of protecting her, his eyes were wide with panic and extreme cowardice. He did not offer his suit jacket to cover her bare body; he did not tell his mother that she had gone way too far. Instead, Marcus grabbed Sarah tightly by her arms from behind, pinning her wrists to keep her from moving away from Eleanor. He whispered frantically into her ear, telling her to stop making a scene and just let his mother's security team search her. Sarah's eyes widened in disbelief as she realized her own husband was actively helping his mother humiliate her in front of everyone. The touch of his hands felt like ice against her skin, a complete betrayal that shattered whatever love she had left for him. She twisted her upper body violently, straining against his grip, but Marcus held on tighter, desperate to end the conflict quickly. The dramatic strings of the background music seemed to rise in intensity, matching the chaotic rhythm of Sarah's fast heart. Guests began whispering louder, their hushed words bouncing off the high ceilings as they watched the pregnant woman struggle against her husband. Sarah felt an overwhelming wave of pure anger rise up inside her chest, washing away every trace of fear and shame.
Sarah clamped her teeth together, her mind instantly clearing as the reality of her terrible situation became crystal clear to her. She was entirely on her own in this room of wolves, but she was no longer the helpless victim they thought she was. She planted her feet firmly on the marble floor, taking a deep breath to collect every ounce of physical strength she possessed. Marcus leaned in closer, pleading with her to relax and give up, his grip slipping slightly as his palms grew sweaty. Sarah used his momentum against him, suddenly dropping her center of gravity and pulling her arms upward with sudden, explosive force. She broke his hold on her wrists and immediately spun around to face him directly, her eyes blazing with absolute fury. Marcus stumbled backward in surprise, his arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance on the smooth, slippery marble surface. Right behind Marcus stood an enormous, multi-tiered champagne glass tower, stacked ten feet high with hundreds of filled crystal flutes. The entire tower glistened under the bright lights, a fragile centerpiece meant to represent the Vance family's immense wealth and endless excess. Sarah did not hesitate for a single second; she stepped forward and shoved Marcus hard directly in the chest.
The force of Sarah's push sent Marcus flying backward directly into the massive pyramid of delicate champagne glasses. Time seemed to slow down as his back collided violently with the base of the structural display. The entire ten-foot glass tower tilted sharply, wobbling for a tiny fraction of a second before collapsing completely inward. Hundreds of crystal glasses crashed down on top of Marcus, shattering into thousands of sharp, sparkling pieces across the marble floor. Golden champagne exploded into the air like a massive wave, soaking Marcus's tan suit and splashing all over the floor. The sound of breaking glass echoed through the high-ceilinged ballroom like a thunderclap, drowning out the soft orchestral music instantly. Marcus hit the floor hard, sliding through the sea of wet glass and spilled alcohol, groaning in total shock and pain. Glass shards rained down around him, dusting his hair and cutting small tears into his expensive designer suit jacket. The entire room went dead silent as the echo of the massive crash finally died down into a high-pitched ring.