The grand ballroom sparkled under the golden light of ten crystal chandeliers.
Julian stood near the entrance while holding a fresh bouquet of blue hydrangeas.
He adjusted his black tuxedo tie and looked around the crowded room.
Tonight was supposed to be the best night of his life.
His engagement party had brought together the most powerful families in the city.
Victoria was chatting with corporate investors near the tall champagne tower.
She wore a silk dress that cost more than a small house.
Julian smiled because he thought he was marrying the perfect woman.
Then he heard a soft commotion near the glass doors of the patio.
An elderly woman stepped inside while wearing a faded woolen coat.
Her hands were calloused from decades of working long hours in a bakery.
It was Eleanor, the woman who had raised Julian after his father died.
She looked nervous as she scanned the glamorous crowd for her son.
Victoria noticed the old woman instantly and stopped speaking to her guests.
Her face twisted into a look of absolute disgust.
She marched across the polished marble floor toward the patio door.
Victoria: Who let this beggar inside my venue?
Eleanor: I am just looking for my son, Julian.
Victoria: You are ruining my event with your filthy presence.
Eleanor held her old handbag tightly against her chest.
Eleanor: Please, I only need to speak with him for one minute.
Victoria: You have no right to stay in this family!
Victoria raised her hand and slapped Eleanor hard across the face.
The sharp sound echoed through the high ceilings of the hall.
Eleanor stumbled backward against the thick glass wall.
The surrounding guests froze in total shock as glass flutes clicked together.
Julian turned his head right as his mother fell against the glass.
The blue hydrangeas slipped from his hands and hit the floor.