Sarah Labyrinth Ballroom Scene Novels & Stories

Her knees nearly gave. But before she could collapse into despair, the heavy doors at the end of the hall opened, revealing a ballroom bathed in gold. The air inside was thick with money and power. Every glance was calculated. Every conversation whispered behind champagne flutes. Damian leaned in. “I’ll take you to Xander.” Before they moved, a woman stepped into Sarah’s path. She looked to be in her late forties, maybe early fifties. Sharp, regal features. Confidence in her posture. Her eyes locked on Sarah like she already knew everything about her.

"Isn't this interesting?" Sarah stepped into the room, her movements careful and deliberate. She glanced around at the candles and gothic decorations, then back at the three girls who were watching us like we were entertainment. "I thought I might be too late," Sarah said quietly. "Not at all," Cassie replied. "In fact, your timing is perfect."

His presence was like a shadow, imposing, steady, inescapable. The weight of the evening pressed on her. Sarah’s taunts, the eyes of the elite studying her every move, Lucas’s presence lingering like an old scar, she needed to get out of here. She wasn’t about to play this game any longer tonight. They had done what they came to do. As she walked, her heart pounded, the clicking of her heels swallowed by the low hum of conversation still carrying on inside the grand ballroom. The air outside would be cooler, quieter, less suffocating.

Nora, dressed in a tulle dress she had picked herself, twirled near the dessert table with Alex and Lily. Emily, in a stunning silver gown, was managing the guest list one moment and her cocktail the next, seamlessly shifting from hostess to hurricane. Julian and Tasha arrived fashionably late, hand in hand, both glowing in that annoying new-couple way. I made my rounds, accepting congratulations and shaking hands. But my eyes kept finding Sarah across the room. At one point, she slipped away and found me near the bar. “Chairman Blackwood,” she teased, leaning in. “Wow,” I whispered as she reached me. “You planning to ruin my focus all evening?”

Not because of the event. Because of the attention. Several employees greeted her. Complimented her appearance. Asked questions. The social interaction alone was exhausting. She accepted a glass of champagne and searched for somewhere quiet. Then her eyes found Adrian. A mistake. A terrible mistake. Because he was already looking at her. Their gazes locked instantly. Neither looked away. For several seconds, the rest of the ballroom seemed to vanish. Then Sarah appeared beside Selena. Naturally. Because apparently peace no longer existed.

Join us at the Grand Ballroom for the Annual Corporate Gala. ​"And so it begins," Sarah sighed, leaning back in her chair. "The one night of the year where we pretend we aren't terrified of the 40th floor while wearing shoes that pinch our toes." ​"Is it really that big of a deal?" I asked, trying to focus on my color grading.

And then, before our eyes, the walls of the labyrinth began to shift and twist, rearranging themselves into new configurations, trapping us in an ever-changing maze of darkness. "We need to find a way out," Sarah said, her voice tinged with desperation. But as we searched for an escape route, it became increasingly clear—the labyrinth had other plans for us, and escaping its grasp would be no easy feat.

Walking around her slowly, I put down my confusion, “I still don't get it though, how were you able to get in here without my cameras capturing you?" Sarah let out a low hiss as her eyes traveled to a far corner of the study. Glancing at me, she murmured some incoherent words. Until finally she replied, “I'll tell you that when you answer my question. That night that we went out, who were those men chasing us? Why did they chase us and most of all what sort of business do you do?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at me. My junior hardened in my jeans. I loved her feisty nature. I loved the way she thought she was in charge when in truth, I could dominate her in every way possible.

Amia hot in his tail as he slams shut the front door. "You'll pay for this Noah, I swear!", Amia yells from the porch where she is left a teary mess in her Nike sweatpants and oversized sweater. "I'll make sure to hurt in ways beyond his imagination.", Amia mumbles to herself as Noah's Range Rover disappears into the abyss known as the New York roads. •●• A couple of hours later into the day I received a message from Bella. Hi hun. My friend Lilly has invited me to her first art exhibition at a gallery in downtown New York. Would you care to join me? It would be lovely to have you as company, since I'm almost one hundred percent sure that Lil would be too busy to keep me company.

Not in riddles. Not in half-truths. Actually talking. Ariana leaned forward. “What am I remembering?” Sarah stared at her. “The ballroom.” Ariana froze. The flashes had been coming more often lately. Music. Laughter. Rain. The hotel. A man arguing. Someone crying. Fragments. Nothing more. “I still can’t see everything.” “You will.” Sarah’s voice was certain. Damien frowned. “What happened after the ballroom?” Sarah looked at him. Then Ariana.