"I'm here for the ceremony."
"I didn't ask why you're here."
Victoria maintained her composure.
"Then we can talk after the event."
Richard's expression hardened.
"You still don't understand, do you?"
Helen moved closer to her daughter.
"Richard has been trying to resolve this situation for months. You keep ignoring him."
Victoria looked at her mother carefully.
"What situation?"
Richard laughed without humor.
"Don't play innocent."
"I'm not playing anything. If you have something to say, say it clearly."
For several seconds, Richard simply stared at her.
Then he stepped closer.
"You have no idea how much trouble you've caused this family."
Victoria's fingers tightened slightly.
She knew exactly what he was referring to.
Several months earlier, she had received documents connected to her late father's estate.
The paperwork contained financial records that did not match the information Richard had previously given the family.
At first, she assumed the differences were accounting mistakes.
But the more she examined the records, the more troubling the situation became.
There were transfers from an account established by her father.
There were payments to businesses connected to Richard.
There were authorization forms bearing Victoria's name.
The problem was that she had never signed them.
When she asked Richard for an explanation, he accused her of interfering with matters she did not understand.
When she asked Helen, her mother told her to stop questioning her brother.
And when Victoria suggested that the documents should be reviewed independently, Richard became furious.
Since then, he had repeatedly demanded that she withdraw her questions.
She had refused.
Now, standing beneath the chandeliers of the Grand Harbor Hotel, Victoria understood that her brother had not forgotten their disagreement.
He had simply chosen a more public place to confront her.
"Richard, this isn't the time or place."
He leaned toward her.
"You don't get to decide that."
A few nearby guests began paying attention.
Victoria noticed a retired Navy officer at the closest table watching them with concern.
She lowered her voice.
"Please. There are hundreds of people here."
Richard glanced around.
"Good. Maybe they'll finally understand what kind of person you really are."
Helen immediately supported him.
"Your brother has done everything he can for this family, Victoria. You should be grateful instead of constantly challenging him."
Victoria looked at her mother.
"Grateful for what?"
Helen's expression changed.
"Don't start."
"No, Mom. I genuinely want to understand. What exactly am I supposed to be grateful for?"
Richard stepped between them.
"Watch your tone."
Victoria remained still.
"I'm speaking to my mother."
"And I'm telling you to stop embarrassing her."
A waiter passing nearby slowed down, uncertain whether to continue toward the table.
The conversation had become impossible to ignore.
Victoria could feel the attention gathering around them.
She had spent years learning how to remain calm under pressure. She knew how to control her breathing, evaluate a situation, and avoid reacting emotionally when other people lost control.
But this was different.
This was her family.
And they were standing in a ballroom filled with people who had gathered to honor the very institution she had devoted much of her life to serving.
Richard pointed toward her shoulder boards.
"You think wearing that uniform makes you better than everybody else?"
Victoria looked directly at him.
"No."
"Then why do you keep showing it off?"
"I'm wearing it because I'm attending an official military event."
"You're always looking for attention."
Helen nodded.
"That's exactly what I've been saying."
Victoria closed her eyes briefly.
She could have walked away.
She could have left the hotel, returned home, and allowed the evening to pass without another confrontation.
But Richard had begun discussing her military career as though it were some elaborate performance.
And that was something she could not simply accept.
"I have never asked you to respect my position," Victoria said quietly. "But I won't allow you to insult the people I serve with."
Richard stared at her.
Then his face turned red.
"People you serve with?"
He laughed loudly.
"Listen to yourself. You talk as if you're some kind of national hero."
Victoria did not respond.
Richard moved closer.
"Do you know what everyone thinks when you walk into a room wearing that uniform?"
She remained silent.
"They think you're pretending to be someone important."
Helen reached for his arm.
"Richard, don't let her provoke you."
Victoria turned toward her mother.
"I haven't provoked anyone."
Richard suddenly raised his hand.
The first slap struck Victoria across the face.
The sound cracked through the ballroom.
For a fraction of a second, nobody moved.
Victoria's head turned sharply to one side. Her hair shifted slightly, and the sting spread across her cheek.
She stood frozen.
Before she could fully process what had happened, Richard struck her again.
This time, the force sent her stumbling half a step backward.
A glass fell from a nearby table and shattered against the marble floor.
Someone gasped.
Several guests stood immediately.
But Richard was not finished.