Chapter 5 - The Cracks in the Glacier
The word ""wife"" dropped like an explosive round in the middle of the ballroom foyer.
Willow’s face drained of every drop of color. Her manicured hands clenched into fists so tight that the diamond ring on her index finger cut into her skin. ""Your... what? Did you lose your mind while running away? You're playing house with Audrey Chen to spite me?""
She let out a harsh, breathless laugh that bordered on hysteria, drawing concerned looks from the surrounding media elites. ""You think you can just hire a stand-in to make me jealous? George, you drank yourself into the intensive care unit because I wouldn't eat dinner with you on your birthday! You crawled through a warehouse fire to pull out my mother’s stupid locket! You love me. You don't know how to do anything else.""
Beside me, Audrey’s grey eyes flickered with a sudden, dangerous frost. She didn't look at Willow; she turned her head slightly toward me, evaluating my posture. She was waiting to see if her contracted husband was about to crumble before his former tormentor.
I calmly reached into my tuxedo pocket, extracted a gold-foil embossed business card, and handed it to Willow's bewildered publicist.
""Miss Vance seems unwell,"" I said quietly, addressing the publicist while looking straight through Willow as if she were made of window glass. ""The gala security should escort her to the VIP lounge before she creates a PR disaster for Mr. Makoto Wang’s upcoming theatrical premiere. My wife and I have an investor meeting to attend.""
Without a second glance, I placed my hand firmly against the small of Audrey’s back, guiding her smoothly past the frozen socialite.
Behind us, Willow’s voice turned into a shrill, strangled scream: ""George! Don't you dare walk away from me! Turn around! George!""
Security personnel rushed in to surround her as flashbulbs ignited like a lightning storm.
As the elevator doors closed between us and the chaos of the foyer, Audrey glanced down at my hand, which had already dropped respectfully back to my side the moment we were out of public view.
""You didn't hesitate,"" Audrey observed, her tone neutral, though her fingers brushed against mine on the handrail.
May you like
""I don't look back at trash fires,"" I replied evenly.
For the first time since I had met her, Audrey’s lips curved into a faint, genuine smile. [Audrey Chen. Affection: +45% (Deepening Trust).]
