Chapter 13 - The Charity Gala
Three weeks passed without another incident, but the tension hung heavily over them like a suffocating blanket.
Tonight was the grand opening charity gala for the foundation, a massive event meant to secure funding for the next decade.
Hundreds of Boston’s elite were gathered in the grand ballroom of the city’s most luxurious hotel.
Clara stood near the entrance, looking breathtaking in a floor-length emerald gown that hugged her curves.
Julian stood beside her, a devastating vision in a midnight blue tuxedo.
To the outside world, they were the perfect, powerful couple.
But Clara could feel the rigid tension in Julian’s arm beneath her fingertips.
He was scanning the crowd not for wealthy donors, but for threats.
“You need to breathe, Mr. Vance,” Clara murmured softly, offering him a reassuring smile.
Julian looked down at her, the hard lines of his face softening marginally.
“I am breathing. But I would breathe much better if we were locked in the penthouse,” he replied.
A wealthy real estate developer approached them, drawing Julian into a conversation about property zoning.
Clara excused herself to grab a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
As she stepped toward the edge of the ballroom, the crowd shifted, and a man bumped roughly into her shoulder.
“My apologies, Ms. Hayes,” the man said.
Clara turned. The man was tall, dressed in an immaculate black suit, with piercing, icy gray eyes.
He didn't look like one of their donors. He looked like a soldier in a very expensive disguise.
“It’s quite alright,” Clara said politely, taking a step back.
The man smiled, but the expression did not reach his cold eyes.
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper that only she could hear.
“Enjoy the dream, Clara. You are about to wake up.”
Before Clara could react, the man slipped seamlessly back into the crowded room, disappearing among the gowns and tuxedos.
Panic spiked in her chest, knocking the air from her lungs.
She turned frantically, searching for Julian.
He was already moving toward her, his instincts sensing her distress from across the room.
“What happened?” Julian demanded, gripping her shoulders.
“He was here,” Clara gasped, her hands shaking. “A man with gray eyes.”
Julian’s blood turned to ice.
“Alexei.”
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Julian immediately brought his wrist to his mouth, speaking into his hidden earpiece.
“Elias. Lock down the building. No one gets in or out.”
