Chapter 10 - The Gala of Lies
Four hours later.
Clara woke up inside a dimly lit room, the smell of expensive cologne hanging heavy in the air.
She was sitting in front of a grand vanity mirror dressed in an elegant midnight-blue evening gown.
Her forehead was bandaged, but her body felt intact.
"Glad to see you are finally awake," a calm voice said from behind her.
Mr. Morrison was standing near the door, wearing a sharp black tuxedo with crisp gold cufflinks.
"Where are we? Where is Toby?!" Clara demanded, springing out of the chair in a panic.
"Toby is safe in the room next door with a medical team I trust," Mr. Morrison replied smoothly.
"We survived the crash because the car landed in the deep river bay below the cliff road."
He walked over and placed a glittering emerald necklace on the vanity desk in front of her.
"Tonight is the annual Morrison Financial Gala at the grand estate downtown," he explained.
"Arthur thinks both of us are dead at the bottom of the ravine."
"He is arriving tonight to sign the final paperwork transferring my sons' trust fund to his name."
"I need you to enter the gala as my primary investor’s daughter," Mr. Morrison said, staring into her eyes with intense focus.
"You are going to walk up to Arthur in front of three hundred guests and hand him this envelope."
Clara looked down at the thick manila envelope sitting beside the emerald necklace.
"What is inside it?" she asked softly.
"The real autopsy report of my wife," Mr. Morrison whispered cold-bloodedly.
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"And the confession letter Arthur signed ten years ago before he was erased from our family history."
"If this plan fails tonight, Clara, none of us walk out of that ballroom alive."
