Chapter 7 - The Whispers of High Society
Word travels through the high-society circles of Nashville like wildfire through dry brush. By the following week, the social columns of the Tennessean and the digital gossip blogs were buzzing with frantic, breathless speculation.
Where is Isabella Rossi?Why did Thorne Enterprises abruptly sever all ties with the Rossi real estate empire?And why was matriarch Eleanor Thorne quietly stripped of her executive seat on the prestigious Thorne Foundation board?
At an exclusive charity luncheon at the Cheekwood Estate, a group of upper-crust socialites gossiped furiously over crystal champagne flutes.
"I heard she was arrested," whispered Cynthia Vanderbilt, leaning across the white linen tablecloth. "Some dreadful scandal involving corporate espionage at Thorne Tower! Can you imagine?"
"No, darling, you've got it all wrong," chimed in another woman, adjusting her diamond-encrusted sunglasses. "My husband says Isabella tried to pull some monstrous stunt at a private hospital suite during the gala, and Connor—no, Marcus Thorne caught her red-handed on security cameras! He had her blacklisted from every country club and financial institution east of the Mississippi before sunrise."
"And what about Eleanor?" another voice asked lowering to a conspiratorial hiss. "She hasn't been seen at the country club in six days. Do you think Marcus actually cut her off?"
"If he did, she brought it on herself," a sharp voice interrupted from behind them.
The socialites froze, turning around to see Elaine Parker—the event coordinator who had been present in the hospital room—standing there with a clipboard, her expression icy and professional.
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"Mrs. Thorne is resting comfortably at home with her husband, surrounded by people who actually care about her," Elaine added smoothly, giving them a tight, polite smile before walking away to coordinate the luncheon arrangements.
The gossips exchanged nervous glances, suddenly finding their champagne flutes exceptionally interesting. The era of casual cruelty and playground bullying in Nashville high society was officially over. A new standard had been set, written in digital code and backed by billionaire power: Touch the Thorne family, and you would be erased.
