DAYS LATER: GALA
The gala hall sparkled with golden chandeliers that hung low, casting warm light over polished marble floors. The air smelled of wine, roses, and expensive perfumes mixing together. Everywhere Lucy turned, she saw men in sharp suits with their wives or mistresses clinging tightly to their arms. Their laughter was loud, their words low, their eyes sharp and filled with secrets.
Lucy stood near the edge of the room in her red gown. It hugged her curves, the silk catching the light each time she moved. She shifted uneasily, her fingers brushing over the thin fabric at her side. The music was soft but her nerves were not.
Across the room, Barry stood with a tall man who looked just as powerful as him, his hand tucked into his pocket, speaking with that cold confidence he ca
