Chapter 83

Chapter 83
Sloane's POV

I stared at myself in the mirror one last time, adjusting the diamond earrings. The emerald green gown Anna had helped me select fit perfectly, making me look every inch the noble lady I was pretending to be. But underneath all the silk and jewels, my heart was pounding hard.

Tonight's the night. Tonight, everything comes to a head.

Anna's hands were gentle as she fixed a loose strand of my hair, but when our eyes met in the mirror, I saw the worry she was trying to hide.

"Miss," she whispered, so quietly I almost didn't catch it, "be very careful tonight."

I nodded, placing my hand briefly over hers. "I will."

As careful as I can be when I know someone's planning to kill me.

I took a deep breath and walked toward my bedroom door. My legs felt shaky, but I forced them to carry me steadily down the hallway toward the main staircase. The sounds of the party were already drifting up from below, elegant conversation and soft laughter mixing with the string quartet.

Just another performance. I've been performing for months now. I can do this.

The ballroom was stunning. Crystal chandeliers scattered rainbow patterns across the polished marble floor, and the air smelled like expensive perfume and fresh roses. Guests moved in elegant clusters, their silk gowns and tailored suits creating a sea of refined colors.

I walked down the staircase slowly, one hand trailing along the banister, trying to look calm. Several heads turned my way, and I caught fragments of whispered conversations.

"Sophia looks lovely tonight..."

"Such a transformation since she returned..."

"The Stewart family must be so proud..."

But I wasn't looking at the admiring faces. My eyes were scanning the crowd, searching for threats. Where was Vincent? Was he already here, disguised as a server or musician? My pulse quickened as I tried to spot anything out of place.

Eloise appeared at the bottom of the stairs, radiant in midnight blue silk, playing the perfect hostess. When she saw me, her smile was warm and motherly, but I caught that flash in her eyes. That look that said enjoy your last night alive, dear stepdaughter.

"Sophia, darling," she said, kissing my cheek for the benefit of watching guests. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, Eloise. The ballroom is magnificent."

Keep playing the role. Act like you have no idea what's coming.

"I'm so glad you're here to see our family's charitable work in action," she continued, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "It means everything to have you by our side."

By your side until Vincent drops a chandelier on my head.

I smiled back, matching her false warmth. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

For the first hour, I threw myself into playing the perfect daughter. I chatted with the wives of prominent businessmen about their latest charity projects, complimented elderly lords on their grandchildren, and listened politely to boring stories about hunting seasons and stock investments.

But every few seconds, my eyes would dart upward to check the massive chandeliers hanging above us. Every time a servant passed by, I studied their face to see if it might be Vincent in disguise. The tension was eating at me from the inside.

How long can I keep this up? When is he going to make his move?

I was standing near the dessert table, pretending to consider the chocolate selection, when a familiar voice made me turn.

"Miss Sophia, what a pleasure to see you again."

Philip Mitchell stood behind me, looking handsome in his formal black suit. Relief flooded through me so fast I almost smiled too widely.

"Philip! I'm so glad you could make it."

"I wouldn't miss one of the Stewart family's charitable events," he said with that easy charm I remembered from our dance weeks ago. "You look radiant tonight."

At least I have one potential ally in this room full of strangers.

"You're very kind. Are you enjoying the evening?"

"Very much. Though I have to admit, I was hoping I might convince you to dance again. That is, if you're not too busy with hostess duties."

A dance would get me away from the center of the ballroom, away from the heaviest chandeliers. Plus, staying close to Philip meant I'd have someone watching my back.

"I'd love to dance."

As Philip led me toward the dance floor, I caught sight of a man in server's clothing near the far wall. He was adjusting something on a side table, but his movements seemed wrong. Too focused, too deliberate.

Is that him? Is that Vincent?

The man was tall with dark hair, and when he glanced up briefly, I saw sharp green eyes that seemed to be tracking my movements across the room.

My blood turned to ice. That's definitely him.

Philip and I moved into position for a waltz, and I tried to focus on the steps instead of the growing sense of danger crawling up my spine. But it was hard to concentrate when I could feel those green eyes watching me from across the room.

"You seem distracted tonight," Philip observed quietly as he guided me through a turn.

"Just trying to make sure everything goes smoothly. Eloise put a lot of work into this evening."

And into planning my murder.

"Well, from where I'm standing, everything looks perfect." His voice dropped lower. "Though I have to say, some of the staff seem unusually... attentive to your movements."

My heart skipped. Had Philip noticed Vincent too?

"What do you mean?"

"Just an observation. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure."

But the way he said it made me think Philip was more aware of the situation than he was letting on. Does he know something? Is he here to help me?

The waltz continued, and I let Philip's steady presence calm my nerves slightly. Whatever was going to happen tonight, at least I wasn't completely alone.

We had just finished our dance when the lights flickered.

Everyone looked up, some laughing about the old building's electrical issues. But I knew better. This wasn't a power problem.

The massive crystal chandelier directly above the center of the ballroom was swaying.

"Everyone move back!" I shouted, but my voice was lost in the general chatter and music.

The chains holding the chandelier were making subtle creaking sounds that most people couldn't hear over the orchestra. But I could see it clearly now, the way the fixture was shifting slightly, the way some of the crystal drops were already starting to fall.

He's done it. Vincent's cut the supporting cables.

I looked up toward the second-floor balcony and saw a figure in dark clothing near the railing, holding what looked like wire cutters. Our eyes met for a split second, and Vincent gave me the coldest smile I'd ever seen.

Time seemed to slow down. The chandelier was falling, hundreds of pounds of crystal and metal heading straight toward the center of the dance floor. Toward me.

I tried to run, but my heavy gown caught around my legs. The silk that had looked so beautiful was now a death trap, tangling my feet and slowing me down.

I'm not going to make it.

The chandelier was massive, and it was falling fast. I could hear the screams starting from the guests who had finally noticed what was happening. But it was too late for most of them to get out of the way.

Then suddenly, strong arms wrapped around my waist and yanked me sideways.

Philip tackled me away from the center of the ballroom, both of us hitting the marble floor hard as the chandelier crashed down exactly where I'd been standing a second before.

The sound was deafening. Crystal shattered everywhere, and the heavy metal frame cracked the marble floor. Guests were screaming and running for the exits, their elegant evening turned into chaos.

I lay there for a moment, Philip's weight partially on top of me, both of us breathing hard.

"Are you hurt?" he asked urgently.

"I don't think so." I pushed myself up on my elbows, looking at the destruction where I should have been lying dead. "Philip, thank you. You saved my life."

"Thank me later. Right now, we need to catch whoever did this."

He was already on his feet, scanning the balcony where Vincent had been. But the figure was gone.

"There!" Philip pointed toward the main staircase. "I saw someone running toward the exits!"

Several men who I now realized were not regular party guests were moving with purpose through the crowd. Alexander's people, disguised as attendees. They'd been here all along, waiting.

One of them grabbed Vincent near the front doors as he tried to blend in with the panicking guests.

"Let me go!" Vincent shouted, struggling against the grip. "This is a mistake!"

But as they dragged him back toward the center of the ruined ballroom, everyone could see the wire cutters still in his hands.

Caught red-handed. Literally.

The ballroom had gone from elegant party to crime scene in a matter of minutes. Most of the guests were crowded near the walls, staring at the destruction and whispering among themselves. The chandelier lay in glittering pieces across the marble, and I was standing in the middle of it all, my green dress torn but my life intact.

Eloise appeared at my side, her face a perfect mask of shock and concern.

"Sophia, my dear! Are you hurt? What a terrible accident!"

Accident, my ass.

"I'm fine," I said, looking directly into her eyes. "Thanks to Philip's quick thinking."

Her gaze flickered toward Vincent, who was being held by Alexander's men near the fireplace. For just a moment, I saw calculation in her expression. She was trying to figure out if Vincent would talk, if he'd reveal who had hired him.

"I can't believe such a thing could happen at our family event," Eloise continued, her voice shaking with what sounded like genuine emotion. "Who would want to hurt you, darling?"

You would, you lying bitch. But this time, I was ready for you.

I glanced at the ornate clock on the mantelpiece. Any moment now...

The ballroom doors opened again, right on schedule.

A woman walked in, holding the hand of a small girl with dark curls. The woman was thin, her clothes simple compared to the elegant gowns around her. She looked like she'd been through hell, with hollow cheeks and tired eyes.

But when she looked across the room and saw Eloise, her expression hardened into something fierce and determined.

Right on time, Nia.

The whispers started immediately. Most of the guests didn't know who this woman was, but a few of the older servants did. I heard fragments of recognition spreading through the crowd.

"Isn't that...?"

"But she's supposed to be dead..."

"Her family was killed on the mountain road..."

Eloise went white as a sheet, staring at Nia like she was seeing a ghost.

Because you thought she was. You thought your hired killers had eliminated all the witnesses. But Alexander's people got there first.

I had to bite back a smile. Everything was going exactly as I'd planned. The chandelier attack was always going to happen, Vincent was always going to be caught, and Nia was always going to arrive at this exact moment to deliver the final blow.

You played your hand, Eloise. Now I'm playing mine.

Nia walked slowly across the broken crystal, her daughter clinging to her hand, until she reached the center of the ballroom where everyone could see her.

This is it. This is the moment everything comes out.

I felt a surge of fierce satisfaction. Eloise had tried to kill me tonight, had ordered the murder of an entire family, had built her whole life on lies and manipulation.

But I'd been three steps ahead of her the entire time.

You never saw this coming, did you? You thought you were so clever, but you walked right into my trap.

Nia looked around the room at all the noble faces, then fixed her gaze on Eloise with pure hatred.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said, her voice carrying clearly through the shocked silence. "I have something very important to tell you about the woman you think you know as Lady Eloise Stewart."