Chapter 1: The Hunt Begins
Nobody spoke.
The only sound inside the ballroom was the frantic pounding against the steel doors.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
They didn't move an inch.
The billionaire who had assaulted me stumbled backward.
"This... this is illegal!" he shouted.
I tilted my head.
"So was assault."
Before he could answer, the ballroom's massive LED screens flickered to life.
Every conversation stopped.
Every face turned upward.
Security footage filled the screens.
Crystal-clear.
High definition.
There he was.
Grabbing my arm.
Throwing me against the marble pillar.
Punching me hard enough to split my lip.
The room watched in horrified silence.
No edits.
No missing footage.
No escape.
The man's lawyer rushed forward.
"My client was provoked!"
Another video appeared.
A wider camera angle.
Then another.
Then another.
Every angle told exactly the same story.
I had never touched him.
The crowd slowly stepped away from him.
People who had laughed minutes earlier suddenly refused to stand beside him.
His father, one of the country's most influential businessmen, turned pale.
"This can't be happening..."
"Oh," I replied calmly.
"It's only beginning."
The ballroom lights dimmed.
A calm voice echoed through hidden speakers.
"Security Team Alpha has secured the building."
"Police have been notified."
"No one leaves until law enforcement arrives."
Panic spread faster than fire.
Phones appeared everywhere.
Nobody had a signal.
The communication network had already been disabled inside the building.
For the first time in their lives...
The most powerful people in the city discovered what it felt like to have no control.
Then the front doors unlocked.
Not for the guests.
For dozens of investigators.
They walked in carrying evidence boxes.
Arrest warrants.
Body cameras.
And behind them...
Walked my father.
The Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The room fell silent.
The billionaire who hit me whispered,
"...Her father?"
I smiled.
"You finally asked the right question."