Chapter 4 - The Gala and the Garrote
The annual Taylor Corporate Gala arrived with a flurry of activity.
This was Evelyn's domain, the ultimate showcase of her role as the perfect wife and socialite.
She wore a breathtaking silver gown that shimmered under the lights.
Mark looked distinguished, the picture of executive success, though his attention was divided.
Lily was dressed in a simple, conservative navy blue dress, chosen specifically by Evelyn to keep her in the background.
Evelyn had instructed her to stand by a pillar near the entrance, greeting guests but avoiding conversation.
The band played soft jazz.
Laughter and polite conversation filled the ballroom.
Lily watched as Evelyn glided through the crowd, laughing at jokes, touching arms with practiced warmth.
She saw her stepmother as two people: the beautiful social butterfly and the monster who made her clean her own blood from the floor.
Toward the end of the evening, as Mark was accepting congratulations on his successful merger, he gestured to his wife and daughter.
"I couldn't do any of this without the love and stability of my family."
The crowd applauded.
Lily felt a hand grip her shoulder, a gentle squeeze from Evelyn that was actually an iron vice.
"Isn't that right, sweet Lily?" Evelyn projected, her voice projecting warmth that only Lily knew was fake.
Lily’s heart pounded.
She looked at the sea of smiling faces, all buying into the deception.
Evelyn’s eyes, normally so cold, were bright, performance-focused.
"Yes," Lily whispered, the word barely audible.
She felt the phantom pain from the old scar on her arm, a sharp echo of that terrible night.
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The gala, with all its glitter and opulence, was just another stage for Evelyn's performance.
And Lily was a captive audience.
