Chapter 3 - The Gala of Wolves
The Hudson Yacht Club was a glittering palace of glass and gold, overlooking the dark, rolling waters of the river. Hundreds of New York’s elite poured through the doors, dressed in tuxedos and gowns that cost more than a year of a servant's salary.
Camera flashes blinded the entrance as journalists clamored for a glimpse of the "eccentric billionaire." My mother, Eleanor, stood near the grand grand staircase, holding a glass of champagne, flanked by Victoria Sterling in a diamond-encrusted dress and Richard Vance, who was smiling like a wolf outside a sheepfold.
"He won't show," Victoria whispered maliciously, checking her gold watch. "He’s probably at home playing with blocks. The board will vote to replace him as CEO by Friday."
"Oh, he’ll show," Richard Vance chuckled, swirling his scotch. "Ethan is too proud to hide. But when he walks through those doors, we will crush him publicly."
Suddenly, the grand double doors opened.
The entire ballroom fell into a sudden, suffocating silence. The ambient music seemed to fade into the background as every head turned toward the entrance.
I walked into the room, dressed in a flawless, custom-tailored Tom Ford tuxedo. But I wasn't alone.
On my right arm was Maria Alvarez.
We had spent the afternoon with the city's finest stylists. She wore an elegant, minimalist midnight-blue silk gown that complimented her dark hair, which was pinned up in a sophisticated chignon. There was no trace of the maid who scrubbed the east wing; she looked like royalty. And on my left side, holding my hand tightly, was Lily. She wore a beautiful white tulle dress, her brown curls bouncing as she walked, looking around the massive room with complete, innocent wonder.
"Oh my God," Victoria gasped, her face turning an ash-gray color. "He brought them here."
Eleanor's champagne glass rattled against her diamond rings. Her face contorted into a mask of pure, unadulterated fury as I led Maria and Lily straight down the center of the ballroom, through a gauntlet of dropping jaws and whispering socialites.
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"Ethan!" Eleanor hissed, stepping into our path, her voice a lethal whisper. "Have you completely lost your mind? Bringing the house help to a high-society charity event? Get them out of here before I have security drag them out!"
"I wouldn't advise that, Mother," I said, my voice dead calm, echoing clearly enough for the nearby journalists to catch every word. "Because tonight, I am making a formal announcement. And if you interfere, the Cole name will be dragged through a scandal you can never recover from."
