At first, the dress stayed in place.
A dark gap opened beside the right strap. Another thread snapped. The gap widened across the bodice as the ten-pound skirt dragged downward.
The right strap lengthened first. Chloe caught the top edge with one hand, but that shifted more of the weight to the remaining stitches.
The front seams tore in a single run. Silk, optics and crushed diamonds slid from Chloe's body and gathered around her feet.
The internal lights still worked inside the fallen fabric. They shone through the heap on the platform while loose diamonds scattered over its edge.
She stood on the platform in nude-colored undergarments while a thousand cameras recorded her. Derrick pulled off his tuxedo jacket and ran onto the stage.
For one beat, the photographers stared. Then the
