Chapter 1 - The Broken Heir
The grand luxury gala ballroom was a masterclass in superficial elegance. Towering crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling, casting a warm cinematic glow over polished marble floors and immaculate white floral arrangements. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the glittering Chicago city skyline stretched into the dark night. Formal guests in designer tuxedos and evening gowns sipped champagne, whispering and laughing.
At the center of it all sat Harrison Vance.
Just a year ago, Harrison was the most feared and powerful venture capitalist in the city—a man whose cold ambition built a multi-billion-dollar empire. But tonight, he looked like a ghost of his former self. He sat in a sleek black wheelchair, dressed in a sharp dark blue suit and a silver tie. His handsome face, marked by dark wavy hair and a quiet, haunted expression, was entirely broken.
Standing a few feet away, watching him with undisguised contempt, was his younger brother, Julian, and Julian’s socialite wife, Claire.
"Look at him," Julian sneered, swirling his champagne glass. "The great Harrison Vance. Paralyzed in a 'convenient' car accident that wiped his memory of the company bylaws. He doesn't even belong in this ballroom anymore. By midnight, the board will vote to strip him of his remaining shares, and this estate officially becomes mine."
Claire laughed, adjusting her diamond necklace. "Just make sure he doesn't drop that ridiculous stuffed bunny. It's pathetic."
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Harrison ignored them. His pale hands were tightly gripping the armrests of his wheelchair, his knuckles white. Resting quietly on his lap was a worn, fluffy stuffed bunny toy—the only remnant left of the daughter who had been ripped away from him the night of the crash.
👉 Harrison thought he was entirely alone in his grief, but a tiny pair of footsteps was about to change his life forever.
