The ballroom was quieter now, but it was a quiet that felt heavy, not peaceful.
Guests still whispered in small groups, checking their phones, replaying videos of
the chandelier's fall. Glass still glittered on the marble, catching the emergencylights in reflections. Somewhere, a waiter muttered, trying to reassure someone
that nothing else was broken. Amelia's shoes clicked against the floor as she
moved carefully, every step a reminder of how close the disaster had been.
Ethan stayed near the center, surveying the scene. His eyes were sharp, calculating.
No one dared approach him without being summoned. The hotel manager's face
was pale, his hands twisting in nervous knots.
"Sir, we've accounted for all the
guests,
" he stammered. Ethan's gaze didn't soften.
"They are safe,
" Ethan said flatly.
"Check the exits again and every corner. I don't
want surprises.
"
Amelia watched him. Every word, every gesture radiated authority. He wasn't just
giving orders. He was claiming the room, the night, the situation as if it were
already his to control. And yet, even in that moment, he didn't look down on
anyone in a way most billionaires might. He expected obedience, demanded
results, and dismissed excuses. Amelia felt a trigger of something she didn't
expect, curiosity.
"Sir,
" the manager began again,
"we have staff trying to…
"
"Move aside,
" Ethan interrupted.
"Now. You're in my way.
"
The manager hesitated, then stepped back, nodding rapidly. Ethan's sharp eyes
didn't leave the room. He wasn't scanning for mistakes, he was scanning for
threats. And Amelia noticed it, the way his posture shifted when he felt something
off. She'd never seen someone so alert, so in control, even when surrounded by
chaos.
A detective approached, badge shining under the emergency lights.
"Mr.
Blackwood, we need to talk about…
"
"I don't need to talk. I need answers, provide answers to me" Ethan said, cutting
him off. His voice was calm but final. The detective blinked, unsure if he was
being polite or rude. Ethan turned, walked a few steps closer, and said without
raising his voice,
"Find out what caused the chain to fail. Start with the inspection
logs. Every employee who had access, every camera in the hall. I want details by
dawn. Understood?"
"Yes, sir,
" the detective muttered, caught between authority and awe.
Amelia moved closer, her arms crossed, resisting the urge to comment. Most
people would have melted under his scrutiny, intimidated by the sheer force of his
presence. But she didn't. She had to remind herself she was here as an equal, as
someone who had helped save a life tonight too."Amelia,
" Ethan said suddenly, his eyes locking onto hers.
"Do not stand in the
path of those working. Stay clear. Let them do their jobs.
"
Her lips twitched in a half-smile.
"Right now, I am in charge,
" she said quietly.
Ethan froze for just a second. Not because she was defying him, but because she
said it so calmly, without fear. It was like she was acknowledging his authority and
simultaneously drawing her own line. His jaw tightened slightly. That look, calm,
controlled, but edged with something sharp, was new. Spark one. He hadn't
expected her to have this fire.
Outside, sirens grew louder. Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances lined the
street, their lights flashing in chaotic harmony. Reporters were already trying to
push through the cordons, cameras rolling. The crowd at the entrance was shifting,
murmuring, phones raised to capture every detail. Amelia felt the weight of eyes
on her, judging, wondering if she had caused this somehow, even though she knew
it wasn't her fault.
Ethan's phone buzzed in his hand. He glanced at it, his brow furrowing. He typed a
quick reply, then slipped the device back into his pocket without a word. Amelia's
curiosity pricked. He didn't explain, didn't justify. He never did. That was part of
who he was, always steps ahead, always calculating.
Amelia turned to look at the remaining chandeliers, still swinging slightly as if
shaken by the panic. The ballroom, though quieter, felt like a living thing,
breathing and watching, holding its breath along with the people inside. She
shivered slightly. The air carried a tension that wouldn't let her relax.
"Amelia,
" Ethan said again, and this time it was softer, but still commanding. She
turned.
"Check the guests near the main exit. Make sure everyone is accounted for.
I don't want surprises.
"
"Yes, sir,
" she replied, moving swiftly through the chaos, checking names and
guiding guests carefully past the broken glass. Her heart still raced; safety suddenly
felt thin and fragile. She returned to Ethan as he spoke into his headset, calmly
issuing orders while his eyes scanned exits and the remaining chandeliers. She
admired him, yet feared how he commanded without explanation. A staff member
whispered,
"Sir, we're missing hallway footage. Twelve minutes.
" Ethan's eyes
hardened.
"Tampered?" Amelia's stomach tightened, enough time for disaster. His
jaw set.
"Find who had access. Check every camera. Miss no details and get back
to me immediately" he thunderedAmelia's phone buzzed. An unknown number. She opened it, heart sinking. The
photo froze her blood, the chandelier falling, her running towards the girl. The
angle… from above. Someone had been watching. Someone had known. Ethan
saw her face.
"What is it?" "Taken from above,
" she whispered.
"They were here.
"
His jaw tightened.
"Still close. This was planned.
" Emergency lights flickered. The
remaining chandeliers were shaking. One swayed slightly. Her pulse raced. She felt
eyes on her. Her grip tightened.Ethan reached for her shoulder.
"Stay with me,
" he
said.
Outside, sirens wailed as the crowd pressed near the doors. Glass still scattered the
marble, and above, one chandelier shifted slightly. Amelia froze. The chain wasn't
secure; a thin metallic line stretched and creaked. A small piece fell, clinking near
her shoe, no one noticed. The final metal began to split. Her breath caught. In the
dark ceiling beams, a shadow shifted. Someone was still there, watching, and
waiting. The chain gave a tiny, terrifying creak.