CHAPTER 117 A House of Mirrors

  The charity gala sparkled with opulence, a stark contrast to the storm of tension brewing beneath its polished veneer. Chandeliers bathed the room in golden light, their brilliance rivaled only by the diamonds dripping from the necks of Manhattan's elite. The ballroom was alive with murmured conversations, the hum of a string quartet, and the clinking of champagne glasses.

  Angela felt the weight of the room pressing down on her, the air thick with a tension that only she seemed to perceive. She scanned the crowd, her chest tightening with each passing moment. Beside her, Edmund moved with practiced ease, his sharp eyes scanning every face in the crowd. Somewhere among these glittering figures was Julie, a predator hidden in plain sight.