Victoria stood over Tiffany, looking down at her with a cold, superior gaze. She didn't look angry. She looked like a judge preparing to pass a final sentence on a criminal.
Slowly, Victoria raised her right hand to her mouth. She took the tip of her white leather glove between her teeth and slowly peeled it off her hand.
The white leather slid away, revealing her long, elegant fingers. On her left ring finger sat a massive, flawless pink diamond ring. The rare stone glinted sharply under the crystal chandeliers, throwing pink light across the black-and-white checkered floor.
A loud gasp went up from the elderly board members standing near the front row.
Board Member Miller: Good Lord... that's the Sterling Sovereign Diamond!
Board Member Davis: That ring only belongs to one person in the world!
Tiffany struggled to push herself up onto her elbows, her hands trembling against the slick floor as she stared at the massive pink gem.
Tiffany: What... what is that ring? Where did you steal that ring from?!
Victoria: I didn't steal anything, Tiffany. My father gave me this ring on my twenty-first birthday.
Victoria held her white leather gloves in one hand, towering over the sprawling woman in red. Her voice was stern, fierce, and commanded total authority over every person in the room.
Victoria: You don't even own the soil you're standing on.
Tiffany: Julian! Call security! She assaulted me! She kicked me!
Julian: Tiffany... shut your mouth right now.
Julian's voice was shaking. He stepped past Tiffany, dropping to his knees on the marble floor. But he didn't kneel to help Tiffany up. He turned toward Victoria, bowing his head in deep respect.
Julian: Victoria... welcome home, CEO Sterling.
Tiffany's jaw dropped open. She looked between Julian kneeling on the floor and the woman in the black tuxedo standing above her.
Tiffany: CEO... Sterling? Julian, what are you doing?! Why are you kneeling to a security guard?!
Julian: She isn't security, you idiot! This is Victoria Sterling! My half-sister! The primary owner of Sterling Enterprises!
Tiffany: What? No... no! That's impossible! Victoria Sterling lives in London!
Victoria: I flew in two hours ago, Tiffany. I wore my private detail suit because I wanted to inspect my estate without fifty reporters following me.
Tiffany: You... you dressed like staff on purpose?!
Victoria: I dressed how I pleased in my own house. And I watched you treat my employees like trash for the last thirty minutes.
Tiffany's face turned completely white. All the arrogance, pride, and cruelty vanished from her eyes, replaced by pure, cold terror as she realized who she had just slapped.