“You own this hotel?” The blonde socialite let out a piercing, theatrical laugh that echoed off the marble walls. “You’re delusional, little girl.”
Charlotte didn’t flinch. Slowly, she raised her left hand, deliberately letting the custom-cut obsidian diamond ring catch the glare of the crystal chandeliers overhead.
The Solmere Signet. The master key to the empire’s billion-dollar trust.
The socialite’s smug smile instantly evaporated. Her face drained of color. She recognized it immediately—it was the very ring that had mysteriously vanished the night Charlotte’s mother was murdered.
“Security!” the socialite shrieked, her voice cracking in pure, naked panic. “Wright! Grab her! Throw this impostor out!”
Officer Wright stepped forward, his massive frame casting a heavy shadow over the golden ‘SM’ logo on the floor. He reached out—but not for Charlotte.
Bypassing the bruised girl entirely, the towering guard turned his broad shoulders to block the socialite. He tapped his earpiece, locked eyes with Charlotte, and offered a deep, respectful bow. “Lobby is fully secured. Awaiting your orders, Ms. Vale.”
A collective gasp ripped through the room.
Charlotte stood tall, wiping the last drop of blood from her jaw. “You and the board thought a staged car crash could erase me. You thought you could steal my mother’s legacy and parade around my lobby like a queen.”
Charlotte snapped her fingers.
The six silent observers in the background—five men in sharp tuxedos and a woman in a black evening gown—suddenly broke their statuesque poses, stepping forward in terrifying unison. They weren’t wealthy bystanders.
The woman in the black gown flashed a federal badge. “Victoria Thorne, you’re under arrest for corporate fraud, embezzlement, and conspiracy to commit murder.”
As cold steel handcuffs violently clicked over Victoria’s diamond-draped wrists, Charlotte leaned in close.
“Trash belongs on the street,” Charlotte whispered icily. “Wright, take out the garbage.”