Chapter 1: The Birthday That Stopped Time
Chapter 1: The Birthday That Stopped Time
The Lancaster estate glittered beneath thousands of crystal lights.
Champagne flowed.
A live orchestra played softly.
More than two hundred guests had gathered to celebrate Chloe Lancaster's twenty-fifth birthday.
She stood at the center of the ballroom in a custom emerald gown, accepting compliments like they belonged to her.
"Another perfect year," someone toasted.
Chloe smiled.
She believed it.
Then a waitress accidentally brushed her elbow while serving champagne.
A few drops splashed onto Chloe's sleeve.
The room went quiet.
Chloe's smile vanished.
"You incompetent idiot!"
Before anyone could react, her hand struck the young waitress across the face.
The crack echoed beneath the chandeliers.
A tray crashed onto the marble floor.
Crystal glasses shattered.
The waitress lowered her head but said nothing.
Chloe sneered.
"Do you have any idea how much this dress costs?"
The young woman softly answered,
"No."
"But I know what losing family costs."
Nobody understood.
Then she reached into the pocket of her apron.
She placed a tiny velvet box onto the table.
"Happy birthday..."
Her voice trembled.
"...sister."
The ballroom froze.
Chloe frowned.
"What did you call me?"
The waitress opened the box.
Inside lay half of an old silver butterfly necklace.
Instinctively, Chloe grabbed the necklace she had worn since childhood.
It was the other half.
The pieces matched perfectly.
Across the ballroom, eighty-year-old William Lancaster dropped his cane.
It clattered across the marble.
His face turned completely white.
"No..."
May you like
he whispered.
"It can't be..."
