Ethan Storm’s Dark Awakening

8

As the dinner party of Nova Corp officially commenced, the atmosphere shifted. The lights dimmed further, and the chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow across the large banquet hall. Conversations simmered to a low murmur as the elegantly dressed host stepped onto the small platform in front of the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began with a practiced smile, his voice calm yet commanding. “Tonight, we have not one, but two exciting announcements.”

Gasps fluttered across the room. All eyes focused on the stage.

The host raised his hand for silence. “First, we will be revealing the ten companies selected for future cooperation with Nova Corp—our most exclusive and competitive partnership program to date.”

A ripple of excitement swept through the crowd. Phones were subtly raised, executives straightened their suits, and whispers of speculation passed from table to table.

He allowed the moment to hang in the air before continuing, “And second… our elusive boss, the founder and soul of Nova Corp, will finally be making a public appearance tonight.”

The hall erupted in stunned gasps. Chairs scraped, someone dropped a glass, and murmurs turned into buzz.

“The mysterious boss?” one woman whispered to her companion. “I thought he never showed his face.”

“This is bigger than I thought,” muttered a man in a pinstripe suit, adjusting his tie.

Sierra tightened her grip on Marcus’s arm, her nails digging into his jacket sleeve. “Did you hear that?” she whispered sharply. “The boss is actually showing up tonight! This is our chance—I have to meet him.”

Marcus let out a low chuckle, eyes scanning the crowd. “Calm down. When he gets here, he’s not going to waste time. He’ll see through those fakes in a second.”

“You really think so?” Sierra leaned closer, her voice rising with excitement.

“I know so,” Marcus said confidently. “We just stick to the plan. Let him show up, then we bring up Ethan’s badge. Ask him straight up where it came from.”

Sierra’s eyes gleamed. “And when he finds out it’s a fake…”

Marcus smirked. “Ethan’s done. Game over.”

“I can’t wait,” Sierra murmured, practically vibrating with anticipation. “Tonight’s going to be so satisfying.”

Meanwhile, Alice, sitting just a few tables away, rolled her eyes but said nothing. She sat stiffly in her seat, her fingers clenching her wine glass tighter than necessary.

The host cleared his throat again, this time holding a sleek, black card. “Now, let’s begin with the announcement of our ten cooperating companies. Please hold your applause until the end.”

The hall fell into a hush, the air thick with anticipation.

“One: Orion Tech Solutions.”

“Two: Grandwell Pharmaceuticals.”

Sierra grinned. “We’re next,” she whispered, straightening in her seat.

“Three: SilverByte Security.”

“Four: CoreStar Media.”

Her smile faltered slightly.

“Five: Zenith Automotive.”

“Six: LumaVista Designs.”

Sierra’s brow twitched. She glanced at Marcus. He gave her a calm, reassuring glance. “Trust me,” he murmured, “we’ll be on that list.”

“Seven: Tiberion Logistics.”

“Eight: OceanEdge Development.”

Sierra sat straighter, squeezing Marcus’s hand. “It has to be now,” she whispered, her voice slightly shaky.

“Nine: Halberd Dynamics.”

She held her breath.

“And finally, number ten…” The host paused dramatically, letting the anticipation climb.

“—MorganTech.”

There was a beat of stunned silence.

Alice’s mouth dropped open for a second. She blinked rapidly. “That’s… that’s us.”

Across the room, Sierra’s eyes went wide. “What?” she said hoarsely.

Marcus leaned forward, lips parted. “Wait, what did he say?”

The murmurs began immediately.

“Did he say MorganTech?”

“No way… That little company?”

“I thought Sierra’s firm was a sure bet.”

Alice’s expression morphed from shocked to triumphant. She slowly turned her head toward Sierra’s table and met her gaze directly. Then, with deliberate elegance, she placed down her wine glass and clapped. Loudly. Confidently. Her smile beamed like the chandelier above.

People began whispering more openly.

“That’s Alice’s company, right?”

“Didn’t Sierra say she already secured the deal?”

“Guess not.”

Sierra’s jaw clenched. Her smile had vanished. Her cheeks flushed red as her hands gripped her clutch tight.

“This must be a mistake,” she muttered.

But Marcus was speechless, staring at the stage like it had betrayed him personally.

Alice continued clapping, basking in the stunned attention. Then she raised her glass in a mock-toast across the room, aiming it at Sierra with a smirk that said everything.