Chapter 16

The Grand Crystal Pavilion shimmered under a June 15th sky, its glass dome blazing like a crown above the city. For months, the wedding of Derek Norman and Elena Francisco—heirs to billionaire dynasties—had been the talk of every street, newsroom, and penthouse. Outside, thousands pressed against velvet-rope barriers, phones flashing, while helicopters whirred overhead, rotors chopping the air. Inside, the hall was a monument to wealth—chandeliers dripping crystals the size of fists, tables swathed in imported silk, and a dance floor vast enough for a royal ball. Cameras swarmed every inch, streaming live to millions across the globe. Derek stood at the altar, cutting a lean figure in a tailored black tux, no tie—Elena’s firm rule. His family, the Normans, filled half the cavernous room—hundreds strong, a sleek, boisterous clan sipping champagne that cost more than a car per bottle. Elena’s Francisco brood matched them on the opposite side, just as sprawling, their diamonds and gold glinting under the lights. The city’s elite wove through the crowd, murmuring about the guest list, the menu, the sheer scale of it all.