Chapter 2: Fifteen Minutes Later
Chapter 2: Fifteen Minutes Later
Fifteen minutes passed.
The orchestra continued playing.
The guests forgot about the waitress.
Vanessa was busy accepting compliments.
Then the ballroom doors opened.
A line of black-suited security personnel entered first.
The music stopped immediately.
Conversations died.
Every head turned.
Behind them walked Richard Harrington.
The billionaire founder of Harrington Global Holdings.
One of the most powerful men in America.
No one understood why he was there.
Until he spoke.
"Where is my granddaughter?"
The room froze.
Vanessa frowned.
"Sir, perhaps you've come to the wrong event."
Richard ignored her.
His eyes searched the crowd.
Then they landed on Emily standing near the kitchen entrance.
Her uniform was stained.
Her ankle was swollen.
A small cut marked her forehead.
Richard's voice broke.
"Emily..."
The tray slipped from her hands.
She stared at him.
The entire ballroom watched in confusion.
Then Richard crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her.
Tears filled his eyes.
"I finally found you."
A stunned silence spread through the hall.
One guest dropped his wine glass.
Another nearly fell from his chair.
Vanessa's face drained of color.
Because suddenly everyone understood.
The woman they had mocked.
The woman they had ignored.
The woman they had pushed down the stairs...
Was the sole heir to a fortune worth billions.
And every person in the room rose to their feet.
May you like
Not because anyone asked them to.
But because they realized they had been sitting in the presence of someone far more important than they ever imagined.
