Chapter 11: The Spotlight
The applause swelled like a rising tide as the master of ceremonies took the stage, his voice booming smoothly through the high-end sound system as he introduced the evening's keynote speaker and primary benefactor. "Ladies and gentlemen, a woman whose tireless dedication to philanthropy and youth welfare has transformed our community—please welcome the founder and executive director, Mrs. Evelyn Vance." The spotlight at the front of the stage shifted, casting a brilliant white beam toward the VIP seating area as Evelyn stood up from her table. She looked breathtaking in an ivory silk designer gown, her blonde hair styled in an immaculate chignon, smiling radiantly as she accepted the congratulatory touches of the councilmen and corporate executives seated around her.
From my position half-hidden in the shadows of the wings, I watched her every movement. Her posture was poised, her smile practiced and warm—the very picture of high-society grace and generosity. She walked up the carpeted steps to the podium with effortless elegance, waving gracefully to the crowd as the applause continued to echo off the ballroom walls. It was the exact same public mask she had worn the night she pulled the SUV over on the dark highway, the same calm, beautiful face she had turned toward me before coldly telling me to get out into the freezing rain. The public glamour and the private cruelty existed in the same person, separated only by the walls of a luxury car and the silence of the night.
Evelyn reached the podium, resting her manicured hands on the wood as she waited for the room to quiet down. Her eyes scanned the glittering crowd with practiced confidence, entirely unaware of who was standing just feet away in the darkness. Jax stood beside me, his hands resting easily in his pockets, his gaze locked onto her with unwavering intensity. I reached inside the pocket of my jacket, my fingers brushing against the worn, battered cover of Galrriets. The book gave me anchor, grounding my feet against the floorboards as the room settled into a hush, waiting for Evelyn to begin her speech about protecting the vulnerable and uplifting the forgotten.
