Victoria: Commander? What are you doing saluting a catering waitress?[cite: 1]
Commander Hayes: Step back from this officer immediately, ma'am.[cite: 1]
Victoria: Officer?! She is an unemployed nobody living in a rented townhouse![cite: 1]
Julian: There must be some mistake, Commander Hayes. My fiancee was simply pointing out a wardrobe malfunction.
Clara: It was not a malfunction, Julian. Your fiancee deliberately grabbed my zipper and pulled it down in front of two hundred people.[cite: 1]
Clara kept her hands tight on the silver fabric, her knuckles turning white as hot tears stung her cheeks[cite: 1].
Victoria: Oh, stop crying for sympathy! You probably loosened the zipper yourself to cause a scene![cite: 1]
Commander Hayes: Lieutenant Miller, secure the perimeter doors.[cite: 1]
Two armed naval guards stepped past the entrance, taking positions beside the heavy double doors[cite: 1].
Julian: Commander, this is a private civilian charity gala! You have no authority to post armed personnel inside this ballroom!
Commander Hayes: This event is co-hosted by the Department of the Navy, Mr. Sterling. And an attack on a senior intelligence officer is a matter of federal jurisdiction.
Victoria let out a high-pitched, nervous laugh, clutching her champagne glass tightly[cite: 1].
Victoria: Senior intelligence officer?! Clara? She worked at a public clinic six months ago!
Clara: I was on special operational leave, Victoria. Caring for my dying mother while you drained her bank accounts.
Victoria: That is a slanderous lie! My family never touched a dime belonging to your mother!
Clara: My mother was Evelyn Vance. The primary founder of the Vance Logistics Trust.
The crowd gasped again, several older board members whispering frantically among themselves[cite: 1].
Julian: Evelyn Vance died in hospice care last winter! Her estate passed to Victoria under the secondary will!
Clara: The secondary will your father forged using an offshore notary in Nassau, Julian.
Victoria: Shut your mouth! Julian, call our private security team and have her dragged out!
Julian: Security! Where is our private estate detail?!
Commander Hayes: Your private security detail was detained in the lobby ten minutes ago, Mr. Sterling. Federal warrants have been issued for questioning.
Victoria's smug expression finally began to crack, her eyes darting toward the exits[cite: 1].
Victoria: Federal warrants?! On what grounds?!
Commander Hayes: Grand corporate embezzlement, treasonous government contract fraud, and intentional assault on an active service member.[cite: 1]
Victoria: This is ridiculous! Julian, do something! You are the CEO of Sterling Global!
Julian: Clara, listen to reason. Whatever disagreement you had with Victoria's family can be settled in private. We can write you a check from the corporate foundation.
Clara: You think a check replaces my mother's life? You think money excuses pulling down my clothes in public?[cite: 1]
Victoria: It was a harmless joke! You made a fool of yourself, and now you're using military uniforms to hide your shame![cite: 1]
Clara's jaw clenched, her heartbeat thudding like a hammer against her ribs[cite: 1].
Clara: A harmless joke?
Victoria: Yes! You're nothing but white trash in silver sequins, and Julian was never going to look at you anyway!
Clara stepped forward, her posture rigid and tall under the American flag[cite: 1].
Clara: Commander Hayes, hold my jacket.[cite: 1]
Commander Hayes unbuttoned his crisp white naval dress jacket and draped it gently over Clara's bare shoulders, covering the exposed zipper completely[cite: 1].
Clara turned her gaze toward Victoria, her eyes burning with pure, icy fury[cite: 1].
Clara: You picked the wrong person to humiliate, Victoria.[cite: 1]
With blinding speed, Clara stepped into Victoria's personal space and delivered a sharp, thunderous slap across her face[cite: 1].
The impact cracked like a gunshot across the grand ballroom[cite: 1]. Victoria's champagne glass flew from her hand, red wine splashing over her gold gown as she tumbled hard onto the marble floor[cite: 1].
Victoria: Ah! How dare you![cite: 1]