Chapter 9 - Sabotage in the Auditorium
Panic surged through Elena’s veins. She knew what was on that drive—or rather, what had been fabricated and doctored. During her five years at the estate, Vanessa had quietly harvested old personnel records, twisting Elena’s past struggles as a single mother fleeing an abusive marriage into a web of fraudulent background claims designed to ruin her credibility if she ever stepped out of line.
Elena pushed through the crowd of tuxedo-clad guests, ignoring the polite greetings and turning toward the recessed corridor leading to the auditorium’s master AV booth.
Inside the booth, the lighting technician was absent, having stepped away to grab a drink. Vanessa stood before the master control console, her fingers flying across the keyboard, frantically overriding the digital projector system.
“Stop right there, Vanessa,” Elena demanded, bursting through the heavy soundproof door.
Vanessa whirled around, laughing hysterically. “Too late, Elena! Look at the screen!”
Elena looked out through the glass window overlooking the grand ballroom. The ambient lighting had suddenly dimmed. The massive projector screen behind the podium flickered to life, displaying a bold, glaring headline: THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CROSS FOUNDATION’S NEW DIRECTOR.
Below the headline, fabricated financial debt records, old court transcripts from Elena’s past custody battle, and malicious character smears began loading across the giant public display.
Gasps echoed through the ballroom below. Two hundred elite donors turned in unison, staring up at the screen in stunned silence.
Vanessa smiled triumphantly, stepping toward the exit. “Enjoy your five minutes at the top, maid.”
Elena didn't hesitate. As Vanessa brushed past her to escape down the corridor, Elena lunged forward, grabbing the heavy velvet curtain cord hanging beside the soundboard and pulling it down with all her might. The thick drapery cascaded forward, wrapping securely around Vanessa’s legs and sending her crashing hard against the polished hardwood floor.
The USB drive flew from Vanessa’s hand, sliding across the room and lodging beneath the heavy steel base of the server rack.
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Elena pinned the cord down with her foot, reached over, and hit the master system shutdown switch. The giant projector screen above the ballroom instantly flickered and went pitch black.
Down in the ballroom, murmurs erupted into a chaotic roar.
