Chapter 35: Death From Above

The Children’s Charity Gala was held in the grand hall of the Metropolitan Museum.

Jackson insisted on surrounding the venue with his security team, but Serenity convinced him to let the kids stay home.

"It's too late for them. Plus, I want to focus on the charity auction," Serenity reasoned.

Thank God she did.

The hall was filled with elites, politicians, and artists. Serenity, wearing a flowing emerald green dress, looked stunning as she greeted the guests.

High above the crowd, on the maintenance catwalk, a shadow moved silently.

It was The Viper.

He was dressed as a maintenance worker. He wasn't looking at the crowd; he was looking at the massive crystal chandelier hanging right in the center of the room. It weighed over 500 pounds.

Directly underneath it, Serenity stood chatting with a donor.

"Target in position," The Viper whispered to himself. He pulled out a small acid cutter and sprayed it on the thick steel cable holding the chandelier.

Hiss.

The steel began to dissolve rapidly. It would hold for another ten seconds. Just enough time for him to disappear.

Down below, Jackson was standing a few feet away from Serenity, talking to a banker. But his eyes never left his wife. His instincts were screaming. He felt edgy, like a tiger sensing a predator in the jungle.

He scanned the room. The exits. The waiters. Everything looked normal.

Then, he heard it.

Snap.

It was a tiny sound, almost impossible to hear over the classical music and chatter. A metallic ping from above.

Jackson looked up.

He saw the giant chandelier sway. A single crystal drop fell, shattering on the floor right next to Serenity's shoe.

Serenity looked down at the broken crystal, confused. "Huh?"

She didn't look up. She didn't see the massive mountain of glass and metal plummeting towards her head.

"SERENITY!"

Jackson roared. He didn't think. He launched himself forward like a cannonball.

People turned around just in time to see Jackson Sterling tackling his wife. He grabbed her waist and threw them both sideways, shielding her body with his own hard frame.

CRASH!

The sound was deafening. The floor shook as if a bomb had exploded.

Shards of glass flew everywhere like shrapnel. Dust billowed up, choking the air.

Screams erupted in the hall. "Oh my God!" "Help!" "Bomb!"

Serenity coughed, her ears ringing. She was lying on the cold floor. A heavy weight was pressing her down—it was Jackson.

"Jackson?" she gasped, shaking. "Jackson!"

He didn't move for a second.

Then, he groaned. He pushed himself up slowly, shaking the glass dust off his suit.

He looked down at her, his eyes wild with terror. "Are you hurt? Did it hit you?"

"I... I'm fine," Serenity checked herself. She was shaken, but unharmed.

But then she looked at Jackson’s back.

His tuxedo jacket was shredded. A large piece of glass was embedded in his shoulder, and blood was soaking through the white shirt underneath.

"Jackson! You're bleeding!" Serenity screamed, seeing the blood.

"It's just a scratch," Jackson gritted his teeth, pulling her up. He didn't look at his wound. He looked up at the hole in the ceiling where the chandelier used to be.

He saw a shadow fleeing on the catwalk.

"This wasn't an accident," Jackson said, his voice freezing cold. "Someone cut the cable."

Luke and the security team rushed in, guns drawn, surrounding them in a protective circle.

"Boss! We are securing the exits!"

"Forget the exits! Get the medic!" Jackson ordered, pressing his hand against his bleeding shoulder. He looked at Serenity's pale face.

"Listen to me," he gripped her good shoulder with his bloody hand. "Don't leave my side. Not for one second."

The Viper had missed.
But the war had officially reached New York soil.

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