The crystal chandelier in the center of the hall suddenly seemed to flicker as the massive front oak doors creaked open with a loud, heavy sound. The talking stopped instantly across the entire room as a cold draft of night wind swept over the warm marble floor. A figure stepped slowly out of the shadows and walked straight into the bright golden light of the main hall. The guests turned around to look, and collective gasps of deep horror broke out across the room. A young woman stood in the middle of the entryway, wearing a glittering grey gown that was ripped at the seams and covered in thick dark dirt and dry leaves. Her blonde hair was wildly tangled, and deep dark bruises and raw scratches covered her pale face and thin arms.
It was Victoria Vance, but she looked like she had just crawled out of a deep pit in the cold woods outside the city. Her hands were shaking slightly, but her eyes burned with an intense, burning anger that shocked everyone who locked eyes with her. She did not stumble or fall as she took slow, measured steps toward the center of the grand room. She held a black smartphone tight in her right hand, her dirty fingers gripping the glass screen so hard her knuckles turned bright white. The crowd quickly parted right down the middle, stepping back in complete fear and total shock as she walked past them. Champagne glasses slipped out of frozen fingers, crashing down onto the hard marble floor and shattering into tiny pieces.
Julian froze in his tracks, his arrogant smile disappearing for a split second before he quickly forced a look of smooth, calm control back onto his handsome face. He put his wine glass down on a nearby table and walked forward with broad, confident steps to intercept her before she reached the main stage. He looked down at her battered body with a mix of hidden disgust and cruel amusement, stepping close enough so that only she could hear his low whisper. He thought he had completely broken her spirit forever during the terrible events of the previous night. He truly believed she was far too terrified and physically ruined to ever stand up against him in public like this.
He leaned in close, mocking her with a soft tone that chilled her straight to the bone. He asked her if she was still waiting for some imaginary hero to come save her from the trap he had so carefully built around her life. Victoria did not flinch or look away from his dark eyes for even a single second. Instead of crying or begging for mercy, a slow, cold smile spread across her bruised and bloodied face. The raw intensity in her eyes made Julian step back half an inch, an unfamiliar feeling of cold panic suddenly touching his heart. She lifted her phone to her ear, ignoring Julian completely, and spoke a short, sharp sentence directly into the speaker with absolute authority.