Chapter 2 - THE REVELATION IN THE FOYERThe heavy crystal chandelier above the dining table seemed to hum in the suffocating quiet. Forty of Chicago’s wealthiest elites—bankers, developers, and senators—sat frozen, their forks hovering above untouched plates of lamb.
Vanessa’s fingers dug into the mahogany tabletop so hard her knuckles turned chalk-white.
“This is absurd,” Vanessa breathed, her voice trembling despite her forced composure. “A madman gets hit by a car outside our gates and spews delirious nonsense, and you're actually standing here entertaining it, Luca? Get these people out of my foyer.”
Luca didn't look at her. His dark, impenetrable eyes remained fixed on his security chief, Marcus.
“Where is Daniel right now?” Luca asked, his voice dropping into that low, dangerous register that always made his men stand a little straighter.
“St. Catherine’s Memorial, trauma unit,” Marcus reported quickly. “He took a severe blow to the head and internal trauma trying to block a black sedan from leaving the service lane twenty minutes ago. The license plate traced back to a shell corporation registered under Bellini Holdings.”
Vanessa flinched. A microscopic shudder ran through her frame, though she recovered with terrifying speed.
“My family has dozens of shell corporations for logistics,” Vanessa snapped, glaring at Marcus. “Are you implying—?”
“I am not implying anything yet, Vanessa,” Luca interrupted, turning slowly to face her. The sheer coldness in his gaze silenced her instantly. “Marcus, get the car ready. Rachel, you're coming with me.”
“Sir, I—my husband is in surgery—” I choked out, tears blurring my vision as the weight of the past three years crashed down on my chest. “What did he mean about my baby? What does Mr. Moretti have to do with what happened at St. Jude's Hospital three years ago?”
Luca walked over to me, his large, tattooed hand resting firmly on my shoulder. There was no pity in his touch—only an unbreakable anchor of certainty.
“We are going to the hospital right now, Rachel,” Luca said quietly, his voice fierce. “And every single question you have will be answered before the sun rises. I swear that to you on my life.”
Before Vanessa could protest another word, Luca turned toward the forty guests, who were now watching in stunned, breathless silence.
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“Dinner is concluded,” Luca announced calmly, as if he were simply canceling a business meeting rather than abandoning his own engagement party. “Marcus will escort everyone to their vehicles. Goodnight.”
Without waiting for a reply, Luca scooped up my coat, draped it over my shoulders, and guided me out of the dining room while Vanessa screamed his name in fury behind us.
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