His smile faltered, but he quickly recovered his composure.

“It seems we have a technical glitch,” Richard said into the microphone, his voice tight.

He looked toward the tech booth, his eyes scanning the darkness.

“Please bear with us.”

But the screen changed again.

A recorded audio file began to play over the speakers.

It was Eleanor’s voice, clear and cold, filled with an arrogance that could not be mistaken.

*”The girl is a liability,”* Eleanor’s voice echoed through the hall.

*”If we have to manufacture the bribery charges to take the children, we will.”*

*”Ethan will fall in line once he realizes he has no other choice.”*

The entire ballroom went completely silent.

People stopped holding their champagne glasses.

I saw several prominent board members lean forward, their faces twisted in confusion and shock.

Eleanor’s face drained of color.

She took a step toward the microphone, her eyes wide as she looked up at the projection booth.

“Turn that off!” she demanded, her voice cracking as she forgot her elegant persona.

“Shut it down immediately!”

The technician panicked and reached for the power cable, but Ethan stepped in front of the console.