Chapter 5 - The Gala of Ghosts
The Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel was a sea of diamonds, champagne, and high-society elite. When the announcer proclaimed the arrival of the Stirling matriarch and her newly minted heir, the room fell into a reverent hush.
Beatrice leaned on my arm, looking regal in black velvet, but all eyes were on me. I wore a backless, emerald-green silk gown that proudly displayed the faint, silver surgical scar running down the center of my chest—a badge of honor, not a mark of shame.
As we mingled, I spotted them. Liam looked sharp, but there were lines of stress around his eyes. Beside him stood Khloe, draped in diamonds that looked too heavy for her frail frame. She was clutching his arm, looking around anxiously.
"Ah, Mr. Vance," Beatrice said as Liam eagerly approached our circle. "I believe you wanted an audience with my foundation."
"Madam Stirling, it is an honor," Liam said, bowing his head slightly. Then, his eyes shifted to me. I watched the blood drain from his face in real-time. His breath hitched, his eyes widening in absolute, paralyzing horror. "C... Clara?"
Khloe gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "No... that's impossible. Clara died a year and a half ago!"
I held Liam’s terrified gaze, my expression completely serene, devoid of the desperate affection he was used to. "I am afraid you are mistaken, Mr. Vance," I said, my voice smooth, cultured, and dripping with ice. "My name is Clara Stirling. But I suppose I do bear a striking resemblance to your late wife. The one you left to suffocate in a hospital bed."
"You... your voice... your face," Liam stammered, taking a step back, his hands trembling. "It can't be."
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"Control yourself, Liam," Khloe whispered frantically, though she looked close to fainting herself. "She’s a Stirling. Clara was a nobody."
"Mr. Vance," I interrupted, stepping forward, the emerald silk rustling. I leaned in close enough for him to smell my expensive perfume—the same scent I wore on our wedding day, a subtle psychological trigger. "I look forward to our business meeting tomorrow morning. Vanguard Holdings has just acquired 100% of your corporate debt. As your sole creditor, I am calling in your loans. You have forty-eight hours to pay two hundred million dollars, or Vance Enterprises belongs to me."
