The younger woman stayed on her knees, still holding the boy close.

But now everyone was staring at her.

Even the music seemed to fade under the city lights.

The older woman stepped closer, her diamonds shaking against her chest.

“You can’t shut down anything,” she said. “You work for me.”

The younger woman looked at her for a long second.

“No,” she said quietly. “I worked under you.”

The older woman blinked.

The younger woman stood slowly, brushing one hand over the boy’s hair.

“My father built that store before you married into this family.”

The guests started whispering.

The older woman’s face tightened.

“That’s a lie.”

The younger woman held up the phone.

“It became mine this morning.”

The older woman’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.

The boy looked up at the younger woman with scared eyes.

“Mom?”

She lowered her voice.

“It’s okay.”

Then she turned back to the woman in gold.

“You fired me in front of my son because he spilled juice on your dress.”

Her voice shook now, but she didn’t look weak.

“You called him careless.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“He has tremors from the surgery you refused to help pay for.”

The terrace went completely silent.

The older woman took one step back.

The younger woman wiped her face.

“My father knew what you did. That’s why he changed the will.”

The older woman whispered, “No…”

The phone buzzed.

The younger woman looked at the screen, then back at her.

“The flagship is closed. Your accounts are frozen. And security is coming.”

The older woman’s eyes filled with panic.

Then the little boy looked up at her and whispered,

“You’re fired too.”