Chapter 4 - The Grand Ballroom
Sunday evening arrived with the crisp chill of an approaching autumn.
I arranged for Lizzy and Mikey to spend the weekend with my trusted business partner and her kids at a wonderful indoor water park resort in Wisconsin. They were having the time of their lives, completely shielded from the storm about to hit our family.
At 4:00 PM sharp, my family arrived at Riverside Estate.
They walked through the heavy oak doors of the grand ballroom looking like royalty walking to their own coronation.
Olivia wore a stunning emerald-green designer dress that probably cost more than my first car, clicking her Louboutin heels against the polished marble floor. Alex strolled in right behind her, wearing a tailored Italian suit, laughing loudly with our father.
My mother walked at the center of the group, holding her head high, acting as the undisputed matriarch of a dynasty that was about to cash in.
They stopped dead in their tracks as they stepped inside the ballroom.
The room took their breath away. The soft glow of hundreds of candles flickered against the white tablecloths. The scent of white Juliet roses filled the air. The string quartet was playing a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Bach’s Air on the G String.
“Good grief,” Olivia whispered, her eyes wide as she looked around. “Did Anna pay for all of this? How could she possibly afford a venue like Riverside Estate?”
“Probably blew her meager savings trying to look important,” Alex scoffed, adjusting his cuffs. “Typical.”
They spotted me standing near the grand marble fireplace at the front of the room.
I wore a sharp, tailored navy-blue pantsuit, my hair pulled back into a sleek chignon, and a silver necklace that had belonged to Grandma Fay. I wasn't smiling, but I wasn't cowering either. I looked like a CEO waiting to address her board of directors.
“Well, look at you, Anna,” my mother said, gliding over with a patronizing smile. “You really went all out. I suppose you’re hoping this grand display will make up for your complete lack of life success.”
“Hello, Mother,” I said calmly. “Please, take a seat at the head table. Mr. Henderson, the estate attorney, will be joining us shortly to oversee the proceedings.”
Hearing the lawyer's name made my siblings practically beam with anticipation.
“Finally!” Olivia clapped her hands together. “Let’s get the checks handed out. I have a dinner reservation in the city at eight.”
Everyone took their seats. The string quartet finished their song and packed up their instruments, slipping out the side door.
The silence in the grand ballroom grew thick and heavy, punctuated only by the crackle of a small fire in the stone hearth behind me.
I picked up a thick, leather-bound binder resting on the mantelpiece. I ran my fingers over the spine.
Mr. Henderson walked out from the side office, holding a stack of official legal documents, and took his seat beside me at the podium.
“Good evening, family,” I said, my voice carrying clearly across the silent room. “Before Mr. Henderson distributes Grandma Fay’s final financial documents, there is a very specific condition in her will that none of you were ever informed about.”
Olivia slowly lowered her crystal champagne glass back onto the white tablecloth.
May you like
Alex stopped smiling, his brow furrowing in irritation.
And my father’s face changed color—instantly shifting from smug arrogance to a sudden, chilling flicker of unease before I had even finished my sentence.
