Chapter 5 - The Single Tap
"Give her space! Call a doctor!" someone shouted from the back of the crowd.
Two of Eleanor’s closest confidants rushed forward, kneeling by her side. One of them, a stern-faced man who sat on the foundation's advisory committee, glared up at Maya. "What did you say to her? You provoked this!" he accused, his voice thick with indignation.
Right on cue, the head of venue security pushed through the crowd, looking deeply uncomfortable. "Excuse me," the guard said loudly, addressing the room. "We received an anonymous security alert from Mrs. Vance’s phone just minutes ago. A priceless antique gold watch is missing from the auction vault, and the alert claimed it was seen being placed into a guest's coat."
The murmurs shifted from shock to scandalous whispers. The stern-faced man pointed a finger at Maya. "Search her belongings. Now."
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Maya looked down at the unconscious woman, then at the eager, accusatory faces of the old guard. It was a perfectly orchestrated hit job, designed to end with Maya in handcuffs.
Slowly, deliberately, Maya reached into the hidden pocket of her lilac dress. She pulled out her sleek smartphone. The screen glowed warmly against her fingertips. She didn't say a word in her own defense. Instead, with the eyes of the entire ballroom fixed upon her, she calmly tapped the screen once.
