The roar of the crowd was deafening, a tidal wave of outrage and shock crashing against the marble pillars of the cathedral. Desmond Vance could hear his own heartbeat hammering against his eardrums, a frantic, terrified rhythm. The blinding flashes from the press cameras felt like physical blows ag

The laptop screen went black, the crisp, authoritative image of the board of directors vanishing into the dark reflection of the monitor. The sudden silence in the grand cathedral was deafening, a heavy, suffocating blanket that settled over the hundreds of elite guests trapped in the pews. The only

Desmond remained frozen on his knees, staring blankly at the crystal flute on the altar. The fake diamond sat at the bottom of the glass, magnified by the golden liquid, looking absurdly large and entirely worthless. The bubbles clung to the cheap stone, rising to the surface in a mocking, silent pa