The city shimmered under a velvet sky as Empire Brands' annual charity gala unfolded in the glass-walled ballroom of the Hancock Tower. Strings of golden light spiraled up the columns, soft jazz rolled through the air, and Chicago's elite moved like glimmering constellations across the marble floor.
Courtney stood at the entrance, a small clutch in her trembling hand. The gown she wore—deep emerald satin, sleek and daring at the shoulders—caught the light and shimmered with every breath she took. For the first time since she'd joined Empire Brands, she didn't feel like an assistant, or even just a department head. She felt like she belonged in that room.
Her hair framed her face in soft waves, and the faint scent of jasmine from her perfume followed her as she stepped forward. People turned—board members, investors, and even a few socialites who barely remembered her name—but she smiled anyway, poised and polite.
