"Ah, Tiffany Aldridge, the cunning vixen from a family of thieves."
Nathaniel's words rang through the ballroom like a slap.
My glass of champagne froze mid-air, the golden liquid trembling under the harsh glare of the chandelier.
Gasps erupted around me, sharp and stinging.
My pulse roared in my ears as dozens of eyes turned my way, dissecting me, judging me.
"You’re bold, showing up here," Nathaniel continued, his smirk a blade aimed at my throat. "But then again, boldness runs in your blood, doesn’t it?" My cheeks burned. The room seemed to shrink, the walls pressing in, suffocating me under the weight of their whispers.
This wasn’t just a party—it was a spectacle.
"What are you implying, Nathaniel?" I managed, though my voice betrayed a tremor.
His storm-gray eyes glittered, savoring my discomfort.
"Oh, don’t play coy, Tiffany." He leaned closer, his tone mockingly sweet. "Why don’t you enlighten everyone here about your father’s... creative accounting techniques?"
My stomach churned. My nails bit into my palm, grounding me in the chaos.
I wanted to scream at him, to lash out. But this wasn’t the place—or the crowd.
"You don’t know what you’re talking about," I said, forcing steel into my words.
"Don’t I?" Nathaniel chuckled darkly, stepping closer. His voice dropped, a cruel whisper for my ears alone. "Should I show them the proof? The footage of your dear father, palms greased with dirty money?"
My blood ran cold.
Proof? He couldn’t have—
"You’re lying," I hissed, barely able to keep the panic from breaking through.
Nathaniel’s smile widened, a predator scenting fear.
"You can leave now," he announced, turning back to the audience. "The Aldridge heir is clearly overwhelmed by memories of their illustrious legacy."
Laughter bubbled around the room, cruel and biting.
My vision blurred, tears threatening to spill. But I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
I turned, pushing through the crowd, my heels clicking against the polished floor like gunshots.
"Tiffany, wait!" Carla, my only ally tonight, called after me.
But I couldn’t stop. Not here. Not now.
Outside, the cool night air hit me like a balm and a whip all at once.
My chest heaved as I stumbled into the garden, the towering hedges offering a fragile semblance of privacy.
My mind raced. The footage. What did he have? Could he truly destroy my father’s reputation?
"You’re stronger than this," I whispered to myself, my voice trembling with the effort to believe it.
Nathaniel wanted me broken, humiliated. He wanted to prove that I was powerless against him.
But he was wrong.
"You’ll pay for this, Nathaniel," I muttered, my voice gaining strength.
The sound of footsteps snapped my attention back.
"Running away already?"
I turned sharply, and there he was, leaning casually against the archway like he owned the world.
"Leave me alone, Nathaniel."
"Now, why would I do that?" he asked, stepping closer. "The fun’s just getting started."
He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. My breath hitched as he tapped the screen, his expression triumphant.
"Recognize this?"
My heart stopped as the screen lit up with a video.
My father, seated at a dimly lit table, an envelope sliding into his hand.
"What do you want from me?" I demanded, my voice cracking.
"Oh, Tiffany." Nathaniel’s smirk deepened. "I don’t want anything. I just enjoy watching you squirm."
My fists clenched. Anger surged through me, drowning the fear for a moment.
"You think this will break me?"
"Break you?" He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "No, my dear. This is merely a preview."
His words were like daggers, each one digging deeper. But amidst the pain, a flicker of resolve ignited.
"You’ll regret this," I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging within me.
"We’ll see."
Nathaniel slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned, his retreating figure radiating triumph.
The garden fell silent, I allowed a single tear to fall.
He had won this round.
"You want war, Nathaniel?" I whispered to the empty night. "Then war it is."
