Chapter 15 - THE GALA OF MASKS
Two nights later, the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel hosted the Annual Maritime Commerce Gala.
Every billionaire, port authority commissioner, and shipping magnate in the tri-state area was in attendance.
I arrived wearing a midnight-blue velvet gown, my grandmother’s diamond choker clasped firmly at my throat.
Whispers swept through the grand ballroom the moment I stepped onto the marble stairs.
"Is that Clara Sterling?" a voice murmured.
"I heard she stripped Julian Vance of every single penny in less than forty-eight hours."
I walked through the sea of socialites with calm grace, nodding politely to our legacy partners.
Near the crystal fountain stood Jonathan Cross, tall, silver-haired, and radiating quiet menace.
Beside him stood Julian and Chloe, clinging to Cross like frightened sycophants.
Cross saw me approaching, raised his champagne flute, and excused himself from his companions.
"Ms. Sterling," Cross said, his voice deep and deliberate.
"I must congratulate you on a spectacular corporate execution."
"Mr. Cross," I greeted him, meeting his piercing gaze without blinking.
"I believe your cargo vessels are currently idling outside my deep-water terminal."
"They are," Cross replied smoothly, stepping closer.
"And every hour those containers sit unloaded costs my consortium four hundred thousand dollars."
"Then perhaps you should have chosen a more competent business partner than Julian Vance," I said.
"Julian had legal signing authority when that contract was executed, Clara," Cross countered coldly.
"If those docks do not open by midnight, I will initiate legal and commercial warfare that Sterling Global cannot withstand."
"Let me show you something, Jonathan," I said, taking out my personal phone and tapping the screen twice.
"Before I came down those stairs, I forwarded the unredacted manifest of Terminal Nine to the Department of Homeland Security."
Cross’s face lost every shred of color in less than two seconds.
"You wouldn't dare," Cross hissed through clenched teeth.
"I already did," I replied with a chilling smile.
May you like
"You have twenty minutes before the federal task force impounds your fleet, Mr. Cross."
"I suggest you spend that time securing a very good defense attorney."
