Chapter 5 - The Gilded Gala
The house was transformed by evening.
Thousands of white roses were delivered,
their scent so thick it was almost suffocating.
Caterers moved through the halls like a well-oiled machine,
setting up towers of champagne and trays of caviar.
The elite of Chicago’s business world were arriving,
their luxury cars lining the long driveway like shiny beetles.
I was dressed in my finest uniform—a crisp,
deep blue scrub set that looked professional but served as a reminder of my station.
Richard was dressed in a tuxedo,
though he sat slumped in his chair,
a silk blanket draped over his useless legs.
“You look beautiful,”
he whispered when the room was empty.
I blinked,
surprised.
No one had told me I was beautiful in years.
Miguel had stopped noticing my appearance around year seven of our marriage.
“I look like a nurse,”
I said.
“You look like a warrior,”
he corrected.
“Remember the plan.
Julian will be wearing a red carnation.
He’ll be near the terrace around 11:00 PM.
Give him the drive,
and tell him ‘The phoenix is ready to fly.’”
I tucked the small USB drive into my pocket,
my heart pounding.
As I wheeled Richard into the ballroom,
the music hit us—a swelling orchestral piece that felt far too grand for the treachery taking place.
Ethan and Chloe were the center of attention,
playing the roles of the grieving but capable leaders.
Eleanor sat on a velvet throne,
accepting condolences like a queen.
I moved Richard to the periphery,
staying in the shadows as he had instructed.
I watched the crowd,
my eyes scanning for a red carnation.
Suddenly,
a hand grabbed my arm.
I nearly screamed.
I turned to see Ofelia standing there,
dressed in a gown that must have cost more than my father’s funeral.
“What are you doing here?”
I gasped.
Ofelia’s eyes were cold and triumphant.
“Miguel’s company is a sub-contractor for Vitalis Health,
you fool.
Did you really think you could hide from us?”
She looked at Richard,
then back at me,
a cruel smile on her lips.
“So this is your new master?
A man who can't even stand up to pee?
How fitting for a woman like you,
Maya.
You always did have a penchant for the broken.”
I felt the old familiar shame rising in my chest,
the desire to shrink and disappear.
But then I felt a pressure on my hand.
Richard had reached back and squeezed my fingers,
a hidden gesture of support.
I looked Ofelia straight in the eye.
“At least this man has a reason for his condition,”
I said,
my voice cold and steady.
“Your son is a spineless coward by choice.
Now,
get out of my way.
I have a patient to care for.”
Ofelia’s jaw dropped.
She had never heard me speak back.
Not once.
I wheeled Richard away before she could recover,
my heart racing with a newfound sense of power.
I reached the terrace at 10:55 PM.
The air was cool,
smelling of rain and expensive cigars.
A man was standing by the stone railing,
looking out over the lake.
A red carnation was pinned to his lapel.
I approached him,
my hand on the drive.
“The phoenix is ready to fly,”
I whispered.
The man turned.
He was younger than I expected,
with sharp features and kind eyes.
“And who are you?”
he asked,
taking the drive from my hand.
“I’m the woman who’s going to help him burn this house down,”
I said.
Julian smiled,
a flash of white teeth in the dark.
“Good.
Tell Richard the cavalry is coming.
But he needs to hold out for forty-eight more hours.
Ethan is planning something for the weekend.”
“What?”
I asked.
“A ‘medical transfer’ to a facility in Switzerland.
A place where no one will ever see him again.”
I felt a surge of panic.
We were running out of time.
I turned to head back inside,
but a flash of light caught my eye.
Chloe was standing in the doorway of the terrace,
her phone held up.
She had taken a photo of me and Julian.
She smiled at me,
a predator who had finally caught its prey.
“Oh,
Maya,”
she purred.
May you like
“Wait until Ethan sees this.
You’re not just a nurse.
