Chapter 4 - The Glass Palace
The elevator chimes rang softly, and the doors glided open to reveal a scene of breathtaking, blinding excess.
The thirtieth-floor penthouse ballroom was a masterpiece of crystal chandeliers, flowing champagne fountains, and tuxedo-clad elites mingling beneath soaring floor-to-ceiling windows. A string quartet played softly in the corner, while waiters moved through the crowd carrying silver trays of caviar and hors d'oeuvres.
At the center of the room, standing beside a massive ice sculpture carved into the shape of the company logo, was my husband.
Dominic Cole looked immaculate in a custom Italian tuxedo, laughing heartily as he raised a crystal flute of champagne. Standing right beside him was Cassandra Vance—radiant in a glittering silver gown that cost more than my first car—with a five-year-old boy tucked safely between them. They looked like the quintessential picture of corporate royalty: a successful executive, a society heiress, and their golden-boy heir.
Guests crowded around them, offering toasts, laughing at Dominic’s jokes, and praising his meteoric rise.
"To Dominic’s appointment as sole executive president!" an older board member announced loudly, raising his glass. "The man who built this company with his own bare hands!"
Applause rippled through the crowd.
Dominic puffed out his chest, glowing with the warm, intoxicating light of absolute self-admiration. "Thank you, Arthur," he said, taking the microphone from the DJ stand. "It’s been a journey of vision, dedication, and relentless drive. Some people doubted me along the way—people who lacked ambition—but I always knew where I was going."
He glanced at Cassandra, who smiled adoringly, leaning her head against his shoulder.
I stood just inside the doorway, still holding Sophia’s hand. The music played on, but as people nearest the entrance began to notice us, the laughter started to die down.
"Mommy, is that Daddy?" Sophia asked innocently, pointing a small finger toward the center stage. "Why is that lady holding his arm?"
Her clear, childish voice carried surprisingly well through the sudden quiet of the room.
May you like
Heads began to turn. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through tall grass.
Dominic stopped mid-sentence, his smile freezing on his face as his eyes locked onto us standing by the entrance. The color drained instantly from his cheeks.
