CHAPTER 7 – JUSTICE TAKES FLIGHT
CHAPTER 7 – JUSTICE TAKES FLIGHT
Three days later, the grand ballroom of the Palmer House Hotel was filled with Chicago's most powerful business leaders.
The annual Rivers Industries Foundation Gala had never been canceled.
Neither had Cameron's keynote speech.
Nearly five hundred guests filled the room.
Television cameras lined the walls.
Reporters waited for one question.
Would Cameron finally address the scandal?
Backstage, Jennifer approached him.
"Security has confirmed Tiffany Blake and Victoria Ashford are here."
"I expected them."
"They're demanding to be admitted."
Cameron adjusted his cufflinks.
"Let them in."
Jennifer blinked.
"Are you sure?"
"They've spent weeks hiding behind lies."
"Tonight they can stand in front of the truth."
When Cameron stepped onto the stage, the room erupted in applause.
He waited for silence.
"For twenty-five years," he began, "our company has been built on one belief."
"Success means nothing without character."
The audience nodded.
"But recently..."
"My own family failed that standard."
A wave of whispers spread through the ballroom.
Cameron continued.
"I cannot choose the mistakes my relatives make."
"But I can choose whether I protect those mistakes."
Large screens illuminated behind him.
Instead of financial charts...
The private jet security footage appeared.
The ballroom fell silent.
Guests watched Tiffany assault Simone.
They watched Derek remain seated.
Many covered their mouths in disbelief.
When the video ended, Cameron spoke only one sentence.
"No amount of wealth gives anyone the right to humiliate a woman carrying a child."
Thunderous applause broke out.
Across the room, Tiffany's face turned ghostly white.
Victoria stood abruptly.
"This is slander!"
Cameron looked directly at her.
"No."
"It's evidence."
At that moment, uniformed police officers entered the ballroom.
The lead detective approached Tiffany.
"Ms. Blake?"
She stepped backward.
"You are under arrest for felony assault causing bodily harm and witness intimidation."
Gasps echoed throughout the room.
Victoria attempted to intervene.
"You can't do this!"
The detective calmly held up a warrant.
"We already did."
As officers placed Tiffany in handcuffs, every camera in the ballroom captured the moment.
The woman who once believed a private jet was her throne walked out through a corridor of flashing cameras.
Her empire of appearances had collapsed.
Outside the ballroom, another surprise waited.
Derek stood near the entrance.
He had watched everything from the back.
He made no attempt to stop the arrest.
Instead, he quietly approached Cameron.
"You were right."
Cameron remained silent.
"I became the man I promised I'd never become."
His older brother finally answered.
"No."
"You became worse."
"Because you knew better."
Derek lowered his head.
"I know."
"And I'll live with that."
For the first time in years...
May you like
Neither brother argued.
Some wounds were too deep for words.
