Chapter 4 - The True Queen Arrives
The ballroom fell completely silent as Vanessa held up the forged proxy document.
Nathan watched from the crowd, his heart pounding with the thrill of his own brilliant deception.
He had paid a small fortune to secure the fake proxy, ensuring his merger would go unchallenged tonight.
Harrison Vance stared at the piece of paper in Vanessa's hand, his brow furrowing in deep suspicion.
"A proxy?" Harrison asked, leaning away from the microphone.
"That is impossible, Miss Reed."
Vanessa kept her confident smile, though a flicker of panic briefly crossed her eyes.
"The document is fully notarized, Mr. Vance," Vanessa insisted, pushing the paper closer to him.
"The Chairwoman prefers to remain anonymous, as I'm sure you know."
Before Harrison could respond, a heavy, commanding voice echoed from the top of the grand marble staircase.
"The Chairwoman does not need a proxy tonight, Vanessa."
Every single person in the ballroom turned their head toward the sound.
At the top of the stairs stood Serena.
She wore the breathtaking crimson silk gown, her hair swept up into an elegant, flawless style that exposed the sparkling diamond earrings.
She looked like royalty, radiating an overwhelming aura of absolute power and dominance.
Nathan’s jaw literally dropped open, his glass of bourbon slipping from his fingers and shattering on the floor.
Eleanor and Camille froze in their tracks, their faces turning completely pale with shock.
Serena slowly walked down the marble steps, the entire crowd parting perfectly to let her pass.
She didn't even look at Nathan as she walked right past him.
She approached the podium and stopped directly in front of Vanessa.
Vanessa stumbled backward, her arrogant facade completely crumbling into pure terror.
"Serena?" Vanessa whispered, her voice trembling.
"What are you doing here in that dress?"
Serena ignored her completely and handed a sleek, matte black metal card to Harrison Vance.
Harrison took the card, swiped it through the private verification terminal on the podium, and stared at the screen.
His eyes widened in shock, and he immediately bowed his head in deep respect.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Harrison announced into the microphone, his voice filled with newfound awe.
"Please welcome the true owner and Chairwoman of Ashford Capital, Ms. Serena Ashford."
The ballroom erupted into chaotic gasps and frantic whispers as hundreds of cameras flashed at once.
Nathan pushed his way to the front of the crowd, his face flushed with anger and confusion.
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"Serena, what kind of sick joke is this?" Nathan yelled, reaching out to grab her arm.
Before his fingers could even touch her silk dress, two massive security guards stepped out of the shadows and violently slammed Nathan onto the marble floor.
