CHAPTER 7

The Uninvited Guest

The Grand Ballroom of the Royal Metropole was draped in white silk and gold lilies.

Tonight was the 'Spring Elegance' Gala, the last hope for the White family.

The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and desperate ambition.

Sarah White stood backstage, her eyes frantic as she surveyed the models.

"Make sure the lighting is at 100%!" she barked at the technician.

"I want every diamond on those dresses to blind the audience!"

She didn't know that the heat from those very lights would be her downfall.

In the front row, the Grand Duke sat with an expression of bored tolerance.

Next to him was an empty seat, reserved for the city's most powerful man.

Suddenly, the heavy oak doors at the back of the hall swung open.

The murmurs of the crowd died down instantly.

A couple walked in, radiating an aura of absolute dominance.

Mavric Thorne was dressed in a charcoal-grey suit that screamed old money.

But it was the woman on his arm who stole every breath in the room.

Liora was wearing a gown of midnight blue that seemed to absorb the light.

Her hair was swept up in a sophisticated chignon, held by gold pins.

She didn't look like a girl who had just lost her family.

She looked like a predator who had finally found her prey.

"Is that... Liora White?" someone whispered. "I thought she was in a mental facility!" another replied.

"And she's with Mavric Thorne? Since when?"

Liora ignored the whispers. She walked with a grace she had practiced in her past life.

Every step was measured. Every glance was calculated.

Mavric led her to the front row, right next to the Grand Duke.

"Your Highness," Mavric said, bowing slightly.

"Allow me to introduce my wife, Liora Thorne."

The Grand Duke's eyes widened. He stood up and took Liora’s hand.

"A pleasure, Madam Thorne. I heard rumors, but seeing you... you are a vision."

Liora smiled, a perfect, polite mask.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I wouldn't miss my sister's big night for the world."

Backstage, Sarah saw the arrival on the monitors.

Her face turned a sickly shade of green.

"Liora? Why is she here?! And why is she with HIM?!"

She felt a cold dread settle in her stomach.

But the music began to play. There was no turning back.

"Send out the first model!" Sarah hissed, her voice cracking.

The show began with a fanfare of trumpets. The first model walked onto the runway wearing a dress Sarah had 'designed.'

It was a flowing gown of white synthetic silk, covered in intricate patterns.

Under the normal house lights, it looked beautiful.

But as the model stepped under the high-powered runway spotlights, something happened. Liora leaned toward the Grand Duke, her voice a soft, concerned whisper.

"Your Highness, is it just me, or does that fabric look... strange?"

The Duke adjusted his spectacles. "What do you mean, Liora?"

"It looks like it's reacting to the heat," she pointed out.

As if on cue, the model on the runway began to panic.

The white fabric of her gown started to shrivel and shrink.

It wasn't burning, but it was dissolving into a sticky, grey mess.

A gasp went through the audience.

The model tried to cover herself as the dress literally melted off her body.

Sarah, watching from the wings, felt her heart stop. "No! What is happening?!"

The second model walked out, and within seconds, her dress began to sag.

The synthetic fibers Liora had sabotaged were failing under the intense heat.

The 'Spring Elegance' was turning into a public nightmare.

"This is an insult!" the Grand Duke roared, standing up.

"To present such low-quality trash to royalty? Silas White, explain yourself!"

Silas, who had been hiding in the VIP box, scrambled down to the stage.

"Your Highness! There must be a mistake! The factory.."

"The factory used the exact specifications provided by Sarah White," Liora’s voice rang out. She stood up, her midnight blue gown shimmering like the ocean.

"I happen to have a copy of the supply chain orders right here."

Liora pulled out her phone and tapped a button.

The giant LED screen behind the runway, which was supposed to show Sarah's logo, flickered.

Instead of the logo, it displayed a series of documents.

It showed Sarah's signature on orders for 'Industrial Grade Synthetic Polymer.'

The price was pennies compared to the high-end silk she had promised investors.

The crowd erupted in outrage.

"She cheated the investors!" a woman screamed.

"She tried to pass off plastic as silk for a Royal Gala!"

But Liora wasn't done. "And that's not all," she added, her voice calm and lethal.

"If you look at the second page, you'll see where the saved money went."

The screen changed again.

It showed a list of gambling debts in Macau, all under Sarah White’s name.

Totaling over five million dollars.

Sarah ran onto the stage, her hair disheveled, her eyes wild with rage.

"You! You did this, Liora! You hacked my servers!"

She lunged toward Liora, her claws out, ready to tear that beautiful face.

But she didn't get far.

Mavric stepped in front of Liora, his hand catching Sarah’s wrist mid-air.

The sound of his grip was like bone hitting stone.

"Touch my wife again," Mavric whispered, his voice a death knell.

"And you won't live to see the sunrise."

He threw Sarah’s hand back with such force she fell to the ground.

Sarah lay on the runway, surrounded by the melted remains of her 'masterpiece.'

She looked up at Liora, who was looking down at her with cold, dark eyes.

"You stole my life once, Sarah," Liora whispered, low enough only for her to hear.

"Today, I'm just taking back the interest."

The Grand Duke turned to Silas White, his face a mask of disgust.

"Your company is blacklisted. Effective immediately."

"And as for you," the Duke looked at Sarah. "The police will want to talk about fraud."

Mavric placed his hand on Liora’s waist, pulling her away from the chaos.

"I believe we've seen enough fashion for one night, don't you think?"

Liora nodded. She looked at her father, who was frozen in shock.

She looked at Sarah, who was sobbing into the cameras.

And for the first time in two lives, Liora felt a weight lift from her soul.

As they walked out of the ballroom, the reporters swarmed them.

"Madam Thorne! Was this a planned expose?"

"Mr. Thorne! Are you really married to the White family's eldest daughter?"

Mavric didn't stop. He shielded Liora with his body, leading her to the car.

Once inside the Rolls Royce, the silence was a stark contrast to the madness.

Liora slumped back into the leather seat, her adrenaline finally fading.

"That was quite a show," Mavric said.

He was looking at her with a mix of amusement and something far more intense.

"I didn't think you'd go for the gambling debts. That was a nice touch."

"She deserved it," Liora said, her voice small but firm.

"She didn't just steal my designs. She tried to erase me." Mavric reached over and took her hand. His palm was warm.

"You aren't easy to erase, Liora. I'm beginning to realize that." He leaned closer, his eyes searching hers in the dim light of the car.

"The Grand Duke is going to want to know who really designed those dresses."

"The original sketches, I mean. Before you sabotaged them."

Liora looked at him. "Why does that matter?"

"Because the Duke is looking for a new creative director for the Royal Silk Board."

Liora’s heart skipped a beat. This was the 'inheritance' she needed.

Not just her mother’s jewelry, but her own name in the industry.

"And you want me to take the position?"

"I want the Thorne name to be associated with excellence," Mavric replied.

"And if you're the one holding the needle, I know it will be."

He didn't say it was because he wanted her to succeed.

He didn't have to. The way he looked at her was enough. "I'll think about it," Liora said, a playful smile returning to her lips.

"I have to see if it fits into my schedule of destroying my enemies."

Mavric laughed, a deep, rich sound that made Liora’s heart flutter.

"I think we can find a balance."

As the car drove through the night, Liora looked out at the city.

The White family was finished. The first strike was a total success.

But she knew Silas wouldn't go down without a fight.

And Marcus... Marcus was still out there, lurking in the shadows.

"Mavric?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let me go yet. The war is just getting started."

Mavric squeezed her hand, his eyes reflecting the passing streetlights.

"I have no intention of letting you go, Liora."

"You're far too valuable to lose."

Back at the Manor, Beatrice was waiting in the foyer.

She had been watching the live stream of the gala.

She looked at Liora, and for the first time, she didn't see a 'creature.'

She saw a Thorne.

"Well done," Beatrice said, her voice stiff but respectful.

"You've managed to turn a scandal into a triumph."

"Now, let's talk about that inheritance you want to reclaim."

Liora nodded. She was ready.

She had the power of the Thorne family behind her.

And she had the fire of a woman reborn in her heart.

She went to her room, but as she was about to close the door, Mavric stopped her. He handed her a small, velvet box.

"What's this?"

"A reward for a successful mission," he said.Liora opened it. Inside was a gold pin in the shape of a phoenix.

"A phoenix?"

"It suits you," Mavric said, his voice a low whisper.

"You rose from the ashes. Now, it's time to fly."

He closed the door, leaving Liora alone with her thoughts.

She touched the pin, the cold metal feeling like a promise.

She wasn't just surviving anymore.

She was winning.

And the world was about to find out exactly what happens...

...when you give a Ghost a throne.

In a dark office across the city, Marcus Miller watched the news. He saw Liora standing next to Mavric Thorne.

He saw the beauty and the power he had tried to destroy.

"You think you've won, Liora?" he muttered, his face twisted in a sneer.

"You're just a pawn in a bigger game than you can imagine."

He picked up his phone and dialed a hidden number.

"The girl is with Thorne now. We need to move up the timeline."

"I don't care about the White family. I want the Icarus code."

The voice on the other end was distorted, cold, and ancient.

"Proceed. But do not kill her yet. She is the only one who can unlock the final layer."

Marcus smiled. "With pleasure."

The real 'Big Bad' was finally stepping out of the shadows.

And Liora Thorne was right in the center of the target.

END OF CHAPTER 7...