Chapter 46 Let the show begin
Chapter 046
RAVENNA
The week leading up to the gala passed in a blur of preparation and planning. Samantha and I spent every spare moment polishing our plan.
We would dress to kill. Not only that but step into Darius's world like we belonged there and strike where it hurt most—his pride and his family legacy.
Thanks to the mysterious video that had been delivered to us, we already had the weapon we needed. We just had to figure out how to deploy it.
I still appeared on the ice every day to watch my teammates practice. My injuries prevented me from playing, but I refused to stay away completely.
Darius ignored me like I was a plague. Every time he saw me, he scowled and turned away. It was almost impressive how thoroughly he could pretend I did not exist.
But I did not care. "Let him ignore me and think he has won."
Soon, he would learn otherwise.
Finally, the night of the gala arrived. Samantha and I were both buzzing with nervous excitement.
But before we could attend the actual event, we had a small job to complete.
We dressed in short skirts and plain shirts, applying heavy makeup that concealed our real faces. The goal was to blend in with the workers who would be setting up the venue.
"How do I look?" Samantha asked, checking herself in the mirror.
"Like someone who works for a catering company," I confirmed. "Perfect."
"And you look like you are about to rob a bank."
"That is essentially what we are doing."
We drove to the venue early, arriving while preparations were still underway.
The backdoor was easy to access. Workers were moving in and out constantly, carrying supplies and equipment.
We slipped in with a group carrying linens, and nobody gave us a second glance.
"We turn at the first junction and head down the hallway," I whispered to Samantha as we navigated through the bustling kitchen area.
"Got it."
We followed the route we had memorized from the building plans. The corridors were quieter here, away from the main activity.
We passed a few workers, but they were too busy with their own tasks to pay attention to us.
Finally, we reached the door we were looking for. The computer room.
It was locked.
"Your turn," I murmured to Samantha.
She pulled out a hairpin and got to work on the lock. I kept watch, my heart pounding so hard I was certain everyone in the building could hear it.
The lock clicked open.
"Got it," Samantha breathed, pushing the door open.
We stepped inside quickly and closed the door behind us. The room was set up already. Multiple monitors lined one wall, showing different camera angles of the ballroom and surrounding areas.
But the cameras were not active yet. They would be turned on in about an hour, once the event officially started.
We needed to finish before then.
I went straight to the main computer and began working on accessing the system and copying the video from my phone onto the hard drive.
"How long do we have?" I asked.
"Thirty minutes before someone comes to turn everything on," Samantha replied, checking her watch. "Can you do it at that time?"
"I can do it in twenty."
I worked quickly, my fingers flying across the keyboard. The video was uploaded. Then I set it up as the projected film that would play during the presentation portion of the evening.
But I manipulated the file to make it look like the cover of the real promotional video that was supposed to be shown.
To anyone checking, it would appear normal. They would see the correct file name and size. Everything would look legitimate until it actually started playing.
I also logged into the system from my phone, giving myself remote access.
That way, even if something went wrong, I could trigger the video manually.
"Done," I announced, backing out of the system and making sure I had not left any traces.
"Already?"
"I told you I'd do it in twenty minutes."
Samantha grinned. "You are bloody brilliant, you know that?"
"I am aware. Now let us get out of here before—"
Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside.
We both froze.
"Someone is coming," Samantha hissed.
"Quick, on the floor!"
I dropped to the ground immediately, beginning to convulse. Samantha crouched beside me, hovering over me with a panicked expression on her face.
The door opened.
A man stood there, middle-aged with greying hair and a name tag that identified him as part of the technical crew. His eyes widened when he saw us.
"What are you doing here? This room is restricted—"
"Thank God you are here!" Samantha interrupted desperately. "Please, you need to get help. My partner has gone into convulsions. I do not know what to do!"
The man's eyes went to me on the floor. I twitched violently, my eyes rolling back slightly. Years of watching medical dramas were finally paying off.
"Hurry!" Samantha yelled. "Don't stand there and stare like you've seen a ghost. Go get someone! A nurse! Anyone!"
The man hesitated for only a moment as if contemplating what's going on, then turned and fled down the hallway, shouting for assistance.
"The coast is clear," Samantha whispered. "Let us go, now."
I jumped to my feet, and we rushed to the door.
Samantha locked it behind us using the hairpin to jam the mechanism.
We hurried down the stairs, making sure to separate at the bottom. I went left, Samantha went right.
We wove through different sections of the venue, blending back in with the workers, until we both made it out through separate exits.
We met back at the car, parked three streets away. The moment we were both inside, Samantha burst out laughing.
"That was genius! Absolutely genius! Did you see his face?"
"He looked horrified," I agreed, starting the engine and pulling away from the curb. "Poor man is going to feel like he is going mad when he returns to that room with his colleagues and finds it locked."
"I wish I could see his expression when that happens," Samantha giggled. "He will think he imagined the whole thing."
"What I cannot wait to see," I added with a grin, "is the look on Papa Pike and Junior Pike's faces when that video plays for the whole world to watch."
"They are going to be in so much trouble," Samantha predicted gleefully. "Can you imagine the scrambling? Damage control? They will be trying to figure out who did it for months."
"And they will not find us," I assured her. "We were careful. We left no traces."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. We were just two workers in a sea of dozens. Nobody will remember us."
We drove back to campus, changed out of our disguises, and began preparing for the actual gala. This time, we were not going as workers. We were going as guests.
And we were going to make an entrance.
The night of the gala finally arrived.
I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my dress one final time. It was a tight-fitting black off-shoulder gown that hugged every curve. Heels that made my legs look impossibly long. Heavy makeup that transformed my face into something dramatic and striking.
Samantha stood beside me in a similar style, though her dress was a deep crimson. We both looked dangerous. Like we belonged in this world of wealth and privilege.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Ready."
We drove to the venue together, our hearts pounding with anticipation. The valet took our car, and we walked towards the entrance.
The glittering ballroom was visible through the glass doors.
We stepped inside.
Every head turned. I could feel the stares and hear the whispers starting.
"Who were these girls? Why were they here? How did they get invitations?"
And then I saw Darius standing across the ballroom in a perfectly tailored suit. His expression shifted from surprise to something darker when he recognized me.
I smiled.
"Let the show begin.”