Chapter 1 - The Golden Facade
Elena Vance stood in the center of the Grand Ballroom, holding a crystal glass of champagne she had no intention of drinking.
She wore a stunning emerald gown that cost more than her first car, purchased with the last of her hidden funds.
No one in this room knew her real name.
They did not know that her father had been framed for corporate treason by the very men clinking glasses around her.
Tonight was her only chance to steal the encrypted ledger hidden in the hotel's penthouse.
She scanned the room for Julian Sterling, the billionaire mastermind behind her family's utter destruction.
Julian was standing by a massive ice sculpture, smiling flawlessly for the flashing cameras.
Elena took a deep breath and began to walk casually toward the private VIP elevators.
She just needed to slip past the armed security guards stationed at the velvet ropes.
She reached into her small clutch purse to feel the cloned keycard her informant had given her.
Everything was going exactly according to her meticulous plan.
Suddenly, a heavy hand firmly grasped her bare shoulder from behind.
She turned around, her heart pounding furiously against her ribs.
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Julian Sterling was staring down at her with a terrifyingly calm, knowing smile.
"You look absolutely beautiful tonight, Elena," he whispered, using her real, forbidden name.
