Chapter 2 — The Daughter They Never Recognized

The ballroom had fallen silent.

No one laughed anymore.

The only sound was the heavy clang of the final steel lock sliding into place.

The heir stumbled backward.

"You can't do this!" he shouted.

"I own half this city!"

The woman looked at him without blinking.

"No."

"You inherited influence."

"I built authority."

Before he could respond, the ballroom doors opened—not to let anyone out, but to let someone in.

More than thirty elite security officers marched inside in perfect formation.

Each wore a black suit.

Each carried an earpiece.

Each stopped the moment they reached the woman.

Then, together...

They bowed.

"Good evening, Chairwoman."

A wave of disbelief swept through the room.

Guests who had mocked her only moments before suddenly lowered their champagne glasses.

The attacker stared.

"...Chairwoman?"

The chief of security stepped forward.

"Miss Eleanor Ashford."

"Majority owner of Ashford Global."

"Daughter of Chairman William Ashford."

"The legal owner of this estate."

The attacker's face drained of color.

He finally understood.

He hadn't assaulted an ordinary guest.

He had attacked the woman whose family owned the very building he was standing in.

His knees weakened.

"N-No..."

"There has to be some mistake..."

Eleanor calmly wiped the last trace of blood from her lip.

"The mistake..."

"...was yours."

She nodded toward the security cameras.

"Every second of tonight has already been backed up to five independent servers."

"No one can erase what happened."

The giant screens around the ballroom suddenly lit up.

Security footage filled every display.

There he was...

Grabbing her arm.

Slamming her against the marble wall.

Laughing while she bled.

The room watched in horrified silence.

No one could deny the truth anymore.