And she certainly did not seem grateful that Victoria Vale had decided to speak to her.
That alone was enough to make Victoria uncomfortable.
“I simply asked where you belong,” Victoria said.
Naomi rested one hand on the table.
“And I asked how you decided that I didn’t belong here.”
Victoria’s expression hardened.
A few nearby guests had begun noticing the conversation.
Marcus Vale was still on stage, unaware that his sister had created a problem near the back of the ballroom.
Victoria leaned closer.
“Listen,” she said. “I’m responsible for making sure tonight’s event runs smoothly.”
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
“Then perhaps you should be speaking with the event coordinator.”
Victoria blinked.
Naomi’s voice had remained perfectly calm.
That made the words more effective.
“Do you know who I am?” Victoria asked.
Naomi looked at her for a moment.
“Yes.”
The answer surprised her.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
Victoria smiled again.
“And?”
“And I still don’t understand why you’re standing at my table.”
The smile disappeared.
A few people nearby suddenly found their conversations very interesting.
Naomi could feel their attention.
She knew exactly what was happening.
Everyone expected her to apologize.
They expected her to lower her voice.
To become uncomfortable.
To leave.
Instead, she picked up her glass of water and took a small drink.
Victoria’s face turned red.
“You have a remarkable attitude for someone who clearly doesn’t understand the kind of company she’s in.”
Naomi placed the glass down.
“You’re right.”
Victoria smiled.
Naomi continued.
“I don’t understand the kind of company I’m in.”
Victoria stared at her.
Naomi leaned slightly forward.
“Because if this is what your organization considers hospitality, I may have misunderstood your company entirely.”
The words landed harder than Victoria expected.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then Marcus finished his speech.
The ballroom erupted into applause.
The moment passed.
Victoria straightened her dress and looked toward the stage.
“Enjoy your evening,” she said coldly.
She turned and walked away.
Naomi watched her disappear into the crowd.
For a moment, she believed the situation was finished.
She was wrong.
Across the ballroom, Victoria joined her brother near the stage.
Marcus accepted congratulations from donors and business partners.
“You disappeared,” he said.
“I was handling something.”
Marcus looked at her.
“That usually means someone annoyed you.”
Victoria took a sip of wine.
“There’s a woman sitting in the back who seems to think she owns the place.”
Marcus glanced toward Table Twenty-Three.
“The same woman?”
“Yes.”
“Forget about her.”
“I tried.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You’re going to start a fight at my charity event?”
Victoria smiled.
“Of course not.”
But Marcus knew his sister too well.
He looked toward the ballroom again.
Victoria had already begun walking back.
This time, she was not alone.
Two members of the event committee followed her.
Naomi saw them approaching.
The first woman wore a silver gown and a badge identifying her as Elaine Porter, Director of Events.
“Excuse me,” Elaine said politely.
“Yes?”
“We seem to have a small issue with the seating arrangements.”
Naomi looked at the empty chairs around her.
“I’m beginning to notice.”
Elaine forced a smile.
“Could I see your invitation?”
Naomi reached into her handbag.
Victoria crossed her arms.
The invitation was produced.
Elaine examined it.
Her expression changed.
The invitation was authentic.
More than authentic.
It had been issued directly through the executive office.
Elaine looked confused.
“Where did you receive this?”
Naomi raised an eyebrow.
“Does that matter?”
Elaine hesitated.
“No. Of course not.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“Who signed it?”
Naomi looked at her.
“You seem very interested in my invitation.”
“Because I want to know why you’re here.”
Naomi slowly stood.
She was slightly taller than Victoria.
“I am here because I was invited.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It is the only answer you’re entitled to.”
Elaine quickly stepped between them.
“Perhaps there has simply been a misunderstanding.”
Naomi smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
Elaine seemed relieved.
Naomi continued.
“But I’m beginning to understand exactly what kind.”
She picked up her handbag.
Victoria watched carefully.
For one brief moment, she thought Naomi was leaving.
Then Naomi walked past her.
Not toward the exit.
Toward the center of the ballroom.
People stepped aside as Naomi moved through the crowd.
Victoria followed.
“Where are you going?”
Naomi stopped.
She turned around.
“I’m going to speak with the person who invited me.”
Victoria looked confused.
“Who?”
Naomi looked toward Marcus Vale.
Marcus had just begun speaking with several executives near the stage.
Naomi pointed in his direction.
“Him.”
Victoria laughed.
“You expect me to believe my brother invited you?”
Naomi said nothing.
That was when a man in a dark blue suit suddenly approached.
His name was Daniel Reed.
He was Marcus Vale’s chief of staff.
The moment he saw Naomi, his expression changed.
“Ms. Carter.”
The conversation around them stopped.
Victoria looked at Daniel.
Daniel looked at Naomi.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t realize you had arrived.”
Naomi studied his face.
“You knew I was coming?”
Daniel nodded immediately.
“Of course.”
Victoria’s confidence disappeared.
Daniel turned toward her.
“Ms. Vale.”
“Daniel, who is this?”
Daniel hesitated.
It was only for a second.
But Naomi noticed.
He had not been told whether her identity was supposed to remain private.
Naomi answered for him.
“My name is Naomi Carter.”
Victoria laughed nervously.
“Yes. We know that.”
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
Naomi reached into her handbag and removed a business card.
She handed it to Victoria.
Victoria glanced down.
At first, nothing happened.
Then her face changed.
The words printed beneath Naomi’s name were simple.
FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CARTER MERIDIAN TECHNOLOGIES
Victoria looked up.
Naomi’s company.
The company negotiating the 2.4-billion-dollar contract.
The company Marcus had been discussing for nearly six months.
Victoria looked across the ballroom.
Marcus was now staring directly at them.
And for the first time that evening, Naomi Carter was no longer invisible.
But Victoria still had no idea how badly she was about to make things worse.
Victoria looked down at the business card again.
Her fingers tightened around it.
Carter Meridian Technologies.
She knew the name.
Everyone close to Marcus knew the name.
The company had developed one of the most advanced predictive logistics systems in the world, and Vale Global had spent more than a year negotiating access to it.
Marcus had called the agreement “the future of the company.”
Victoria slowly looked back at Naomi.
“You’re the CEO?”
Naomi’s expression remained calm.
“Yes.”
Daniel Reed cleared his throat.
“Ms. Carter is also one of tonight’s principal guests.”
Victoria looked at him sharply.
“Then why is she sitting at Table Twenty-Three?”
Daniel looked toward Elaine Porter.
Elaine suddenly seemed interested in the floor.
“There was an administrative error,” Daniel said.
Naomi smiled faintly.
“An interesting one.”
Victoria felt something she rarely experienced.
Embarrassment.
But it quickly transformed into anger.
“You could have introduced yourself.”
Naomi raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“So people knew who you were.”
Naomi looked around the ballroom.
“That appears to be the problem.”
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Perhaps we should move everyone to the executive section.”
Naomi looked at him.
“No.”
Daniel hesitated.
“No?”
“I’m comfortable where I am.”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“Of course you are.”
Naomi turned toward her.
“Is there something else you’d like to say?”
The question was calm.
Too calm.
Victoria felt dozens of eyes on her.
People had begun whispering.
She could already imagine the story spreading through the ballroom.
Victoria Vale had insulted the CEO of Carter Meridian.
She needed to regain control.
She lifted her wine glass.
“I simply think this entire situation has been blown out of proportion.”
Naomi nodded.