Chapter 13 - THE CHARITY GALA
Two weeks later, the annual Blackwood Foundation Charity Gala was in full swing at the Grand Plaza Hotel.
Hannah looked absolutely breathtaking in a midnight blue designer gown, holding tightly to Ethan's arm.
Flashbulbs exploded violently as the couple walked the red carpet, presenting a united front to the ruthless media.
Noah was safely at home with Richard and a massive team of highly trained armed guards.
Inside the opulent ballroom, Chicago's most powerful politicians and CEOs whispered eagerly behind their champagne flutes.
Suddenly, the heavy mahogany doors of the ballroom swung open, silencing the entire room in seconds.
Victoria Hale stood in the doorway, wearing a scandalous red dress, out on bail and radiating pure chaos.
Security immediately moved to intercept her, but Victoria held up a thick stack of printed banking documents.
"Don't touch me, or I release the proof that the new Mrs. Blackwood is a second-generation criminal!" Victoria screamed hysterically.
Ethan stepped in front of Hannah, his towering frame shielding her entirely from the sea of flashing cameras.
"You are trespassing, Victoria, and you have exactly five seconds to leave before you leave in handcuffs," Ethan warned.
Victoria laughed wildly, throwing the documents into the air like poisonous confetti.
"Her father stole from us, Ethan, she is just a filthy gold digger finishing her family's scam!"
May you like
The wealthy crowd gasped, scrambling to pick up the scattered papers as a horrifying murmur rippled through the room.
Ethan signaled his head of security with a single, sharp nod, and the guards violently dragged Victoria out the door.
