Heads turned from Arthur to me. Guests who knew me only as Arthur Pendelton's wife whispered the Vance name to one another.
Some had sat across from me in Pendelton Tech meetings without learning my maiden name. Others recognized it at once and began checking the Apex crest printed on their programs.
Arthur stayed beside the broken glass. I nodded to Julian and walked to the stage.
At the microphone, I looked straight at Arthur.
“Good evening,” I began, my voice clear and steady, amplified to fill every corner. “For the last five years, many of you have known me as Serena Pendelton. But tonight, I am reintroducing myself as Serena Vance.”
I waited until the room settled. “You have also known my husband, Arthur Pendelton, as the visionary founder of Pendelton Tech. The media has called
