Chapter 366
Daron took a heavy step closer, deliberately invading her space. He smelled of expensive cologne and stale cigar smoke. “You shouldn’t be here,” he hissed, his posture forcing Dr. Lewis to retreat a step. “This night is about brilliance. Not whatever you are.”
Dr. Lewis cleared his throat. “Daron, let’s keep it civil.”
Before Daron could respond, a sudden hush fell over the hall. The string quartet went silent. The main double doors at the far end of the room swung open.
Grayson and Belle entered.
They were styled to resemble modern royalty. Belle wore a gown of pure white silk, the virginal, bridal imagery so heavy-handed it turned Isolde’s stomach. Grayson stood beside her in a flawless, custom-tailored tuxedo.
Daron’s face ignited with immediate, desperate devotion. “Finally!” he announced to those nearby. “The real stars have arrived.” He turned toward the crowd and raised his voice. “Make way for the genius behind InnoTech!”
As he surged forward to greet them, he threw his weight deliberately to the side. His heavy shoulder drove hard into Isolde’s collarbone.
𝘋i𝘀c𝗈𝘷𝗲𝘳 𝘩id𝖽e𝗇 g𝖾𝗆𝘴 𝘰𝗻 g𝗮𝘭𝘯o𝘷𝖾𝗹𝘀.𝖼𝘰𝘮
The impact jolted her frame. The champagne sloshed violently over the rim, splashing a cold, sticky line across her bare wrist.
Isolde did not stumble. She had caught the deliberate shift in his posture a split-second before contact. Instinct took over — she planted her heels into the marble, twisted her torso, and absorbed the force through her core. She held her ground.
Arland materialized at her side, emerging from the crowd like a shadow. He pressed a crisp white cocktail napkin into her hand, his eyes locked on Daron’s retreating back, his jaw tight.
“Do you want me to trip him?” he asked, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
Isolde wiped the champagne from her wrist and balled the napkin in her fist. “No. Let him bark.”
Across the room, Grayson stopped walking. His head turned, his gaze sweeping the crowd until it locked instantly onto the violent splash of red.
Even from fifty feet away, Isolde could see the rigid tension snap into his shoulders.
Belle felt his hesitation. She followed his gaze. When she found Isolde, the triumphant smile on her face faltered for a fraction of a second — her perfectly painted lips thinning into a tight line of panic.
Arland stepped closer and offered his arm. “Come on,” he said, his eyes tracking the couple across the room. “Let’s get a better view of the circus.”
The main stage dominated the center of the hall, anchored by a massive, glowing InnoTech logo. Grayson and Belle stood behind a thick ceremonial red ribbon at the top of a short flight of stairs, while the crowd pressed in below — a sea of diamonds and dark suits.
Daron McKnight practically sprinted up to the podium and seized the microphone.
“Welcome to the future!” he bellowed, his voice bouncing off the high, vaulted ceilings.
He paused, letting a smug grin spread across his face. His eyes dropped deliberately into the crowd, scanning until they found Isolde’s red dress.
“Tonight is about moving forward,” Daron said, his tone thick with implication. “It’s about leaving the past behind where it belongs.”
.
.