Chapter 17 - The Gala Trap
Victor spent the next day with investigators, bankers, and digital forensic teams.
Someone had cloned his credentials months earlier.
The money trail led to an account opened under Lily's name.
When she saw it, she laughed once in disbelief.
"Of course."
Victor looked at her. "You understand this makes no sense, right?"
"I understand Serena wants it to look like I took the money after hurting Ethan."
"It won't work."
Lily met his eyes. "It almost did yesterday."
He had no answer.
That night, the canceled Blackwood Children's Foundation gala still drew reporters to the Grand Meridian Hotel. Victor decided to go.
Not to save the brand.
To draw Serena out.
Police placed officers throughout the ballroom.
Lily stayed at a secure location with Ethan and Rosa.
At 8:20, Victor stepped onto the empty stage and faced a room full of cameras.
"There will be no gala tonight," he said. "There will be an accounting."
Reporters shouted questions.
Victor continued.
"Funds were stolen from this foundation. Records were falsified. My son was placed at risk. I failed to see warning signs because I trusted appearances over people who had less power than I did."
Across town, Lily watched the livestream.
Rosa whispered, "He finally said it."
Lily nodded. "Publicly."
Victor announced an independent audit and restitution of every missing dollar from his personal assets.
Then the ballroom lights went out.
Screams rose.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Serena stood on the balcony.
She wore a red dress and held a microphone.
"Beautiful speech, Victor."
Police moved.
She raised one hand.
"Come closer and every reporter in this room receives a file showing your precious nanny stole from the foundation."
Victor stared up at her.
"The police already know the account is fake."
Serena smiled. "Police reports are tomorrow. Headlines are tonight."
"You don't get to use Lily again."
"Why not? You did. You used her to raise your son while you traveled. You used Olivia to make your life stable. You use everyone."
The room went quiet.
Victor didn't defend himself.
"You're right about one thing," he said. "I let other people carry what I should have carried."
Serena's smile faded.
"But that's over."
A detective appeared behind her.
Serena ran.
She kicked open a service door and disappeared into the hotel corridors.
Victor followed police to the loading level.
They found the red dress in a stairwell.
No Serena.
Then Victor's phone rang.
Lily.
He answered.
She wasn't speaking.
She was breathing fast.
"Lily?"
May you like
Finally she whispered,
"She's here."
