Chapter Four
The moment I turned my back on Julian, I felt the sharp prick of a nail digging into my arm. Veronica's grip was a furious knot, dragging me into an empty hallway just off the main ballroom. Her perfectly coiffed hair and elegant gown couldn't hide the venom in her eyes.
"What was that?" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. "Why did you talk to him? You were supposed to wait for my signal."
My heart hammered, but I forced my expression to remain calm, a mask of feigned innocence. "I... I panicked," I lied, letting a touch of my old, vapid self seep into my tone. "He was so intimidating. I couldn't go through with it. I gave him the flash drive and ran."
A moment of silence hung between us, thick with her suspicion. She searched my face, her eyes narrowed. "You just... gave it to him? Just like that?"
"Yes! I just wanted it to be over," I insisted, my voice cracking slightly with a mix of fear and acting. "He looked so angry, Veronica. I thought he was going to make a scene."
She studied me for a long moment before a slow, cruel smile spread across her face. "Well, you've ruined my dramatic flair, but I suppose it will do. We've planted the seed. The accusations will come out in the news tomorrow, one way or another." She patted my arm patronizingly. "See? This is why you need me. You're too emotional for this kind of thing. Now, let's go get you a drink."
As she steered me back toward the party, my mind raced. She bought the lie, for now. She believed I had given Julian the flash drive out of fear, not out of a deliberate plan to help him. But that also meant she now thought the information on it—the damning, fabricated information—was out in the open. The real battle was just beginning.
Just then, my attention was drawn to a commotion near the stage. A representative of the charity was making a speech, but a few feet away, Julian Hayes was speaking quietly with a handful of powerful figures. He held my flash drive in his hand. He wasn't panicking. He was pointing at it, and they were listening.
A sudden, fierce resolve hardened my spine. This wasn't just about saving myself. It was about exposing them.
"You know," I said, loud enough for a few people to turn and look at me. "It's funny how some people will do anything for power, even lie and cheat their way to the top. But the truth always comes out, doesn't it?"
Veronica froze, her hand gripping my arm again, this time with a warning. But I just smiled sweetly. "Just a thought I had. Isn't that right, Veronica?"
Her smile was brittle, a thin line of rage. "Elara, don't be ridiculous."
But it was too late. I had said it. My words hung in the air, a tiny, provocative crack in the perfect facade of the gala. I looked across the room at Julian. He looked back at me, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
The hunt was on, and this time, I wasn't the prey.