PART 15: THE ENCOUNTER
PART 15: THE ENCOUNTER
Two months later, I was attending a national charity gala in downtown Chicago.
The ballroom of the Drake Hotel was magnificent, filled with crystal chandeliers, white roses, and diamonds.
As I stepped near the grand balcony overlooking the city, a woman in a server’s uniform accidentally bumped into my shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am," the woman muttered, frantically picking up a dropped napkin.
I looked down.
The woman froze, her dark eyes widening in pure horror as she recognized my face.
It was Seraphina Duca—the mafia heiress who had stood in Dominic’s office months ago, boasting about her family's port monopoly.
After the Vanguard Group's hostile takeover and the subsequent federal racketeering indictments, her family’s wealth had been entirely confiscated.
She was no longer wearing diamonds or custom Tom Ford gowns.
She was working an hourly shift, her hands rough, her face lined with the bitter reality of her new life.
"Meline," she whispered, her lips trembling.
May you like
I looked at her without an ounce of hatred, only a profound sense of closure.
"The tea is fine, Seraphina," I said softly, stepping past her onto the balcony. "Have a good evening."
