The silence in the grand hall was sudden and terrifying.
Sophie Brooks was still holding her white ribbon, smiling at the flashing cameras with her chin tilted up like an angel.
Then, the sound blasted through the massive speakers.
It wasn't music. It was the loud, raspy sound of someone sniffing hard through their nose, followed by a hoarse laugh.
Every guest in the room froze.
Sophie turned her head slowly, looking over her shoulder at the three giant screens hanging behind the stage.
The color instantly drained from her face.
Up on the screens, in crystal-clear high definition, was a video of Sophie.
She was sitting on the cold marble floor of her private penthouse bathroom, wearing a messy robe, her hair wild and greasy. Her eyes were bloodshot and completely out of focus. On t
