The night glittered.
The chandeliers of the Grand Monarch Hotel shimmered like constellations, gold light spilling over marble floors polished to a mirror's shine. Cameramen lined the velvet ropes. Journalists buzzed like hornets. Every power player in New York smelled that something monumental was about to happen.
And at the center of it all was Samantha Bradley, radiant and untouchable.
Tonight wasn't just a gala.
It was a rebirth.
The merging of Carter Group and Elevate Strategy Group — her revenge sealed in gold and red carpets.
But no one knew her biggest card was still hidden.
No one knew that Lynn was awake.
Not even Jake.
Not even Nick.
Only Samantha.
And tonight… she would use that truth like a dagger.
---
Earlier That Morning — A Secret Samantha Locked Away
The hospital room was dim when Samantha slipped inside just after sunrise.
Machines beeped softly. The sterile air was still.
