Beneath the Veneer

The ballroom shimmered, a gilded cage adorned with crystal and silk. Henry, a shadow amidst the glittering throng, felt the familiar prickle of unease crawl up his spine. He clutched the invitation, the embossed crest of Dubois Industries a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within him. Seraphina Dubois. The name itself was a silken whisper, a promise of power and an unspoken threat. He’d followed the breadcrumbs, the cryptic notes and hushed conversations, all leading him to this