Chapter 1: The Shattered Canvas
The Lumina Gallery was a playground for the ultra-rich, a sea of tailored tuxedos, designer gowns, and polite, hushed murmurs. Evelyn, stunning in a bold crimson dress, was only there because her fifteen-year-old son, Leo, had an undeniable passion for modern sculpture. Wearing a crisp white suit, Leo was admiring a bronze piece when the atmosphere suddenly violently shattered.
Smack.
May you like
The sickening sound of a heavy hand striking a face echoed through the vaulted room. Evelyn spun around just in time to see Leo flying backward. He crashed into a cocktail table, sending glass and red wine exploding across the pristine marble floor.
Evelyn didn’t think; she moved. She dropped her clutch and dropped to her knees, sliding into the puddle of shattered glass and dark liquid to shield her son. The string quartet stopped playing. The room went dead silent.
