Just a poisonous suggestion passed quietly through expensive networks where reputation could disappear before truth put on its shoes.
Hannah stood in Giovanni’s office holding a printed copy of the accusation.
“They’re going to destroy every job reference I have.”
“No,” Giovanni said.
“You can’t know that.”
“I can know what I will do.”
“What, exactly?”
His eyes met hers.
“Ask for evidence.”
Rebecca produced none.
Tyler produced insults.
Then Marcus called Hannah.
The event coordinator sounded nervous.
“I should have said something that night.”
Hannah gripped the phone harder.
“About what?”
“The cameras.”
Her heart stopped.
Marcus explained that the Ashford mansion’s internal security system had captured the ballroom incident from two angles.
Tyler could be seen taking the wine from another guest, walking directly toward Hannah and deliberately turning the glass over her head.
Rebecca could be seen watching.
Later footage from the service corridor captured Hannah being escorted out carrying only her own bag.
Marcus had preserved copies before the Ashfords could ask anyone to overwrite them.
“Why?” Hannah whispered.
“Because what they did was disgusting,” he said.
“And because Rebecca told me to mark your shift unpaid before you even left her office.”
Hannah closed her eyes.
A witness.
Not one of the laughing guests.
Someone who had actually seen her.
Marcus sent the files to Hannah and Giovanni’s legal department.
Giovanni watched the ballroom recording once.
Only once.
When Tyler poured the wine, Giovanni’s hand tightened around the remote.
When Rebecca smiled, he stopped the video.
“Send it to their attorney,” he said.
Hannah looked at him.
“That’s all?”
“No threats.
No favors.
No people appearing at their house?”
His expression turned dry.
“You have a very dramatic idea of my schedule.”
“I’ve heard things about your family.”
“So have I.”
Hannah folded her arms.
“What are you going to do?”
“Something they understand better than fear.”
“What?”
“Consequences.”
Two days later, the Ashfords arrived at Moretti headquarters.
Rebecca entered first, wearing cream and carrying herself as if every room automatically belonged to her.
Tyler followed, sunglasses hooked at his collar and irritation already on his face.
Hannah expected Giovanni to keep her away from the meeting.
Instead, he asked whether she wanted to attend.
“Do I have to?”
